RTSM | Elvire SOYEZ: "Time and a constant care with sharpened eyes for shaped trees remind us our human conditions, doomed to disappear."

TEXT:CAFA ART INFO    DATE: 2020.12.29

Topiarus 2020-in progress, cotton on linen,150250 cm.jpg

Topiarus (working in progress), cotton on linen,150x250 cm, 2020

My interest in gardens and topiary has been growing over the last few years. I decided to create “Topiarus”, cotton embroidery on linen, like an alphabet book, extracted from garden pictures and different specimens of topiary.

Topiary designs are named spiral tree, ball on pedestal, two tier pyramid, bird on round pyramid and so on.

Beyond the obvious game between Nature and Culture I prefer to think about them like forms coming from a prehistoric time. We have imposed forms on a living tree making them sculptures but where do the shapes come from? From Nature? Did those designs impose themselves upon us?

Time and a constant care with sharpened eyes for shaped trees remind us our human conditions, doomed to disappear.


Elvire Soyez at work.jpg

Elvire Soyez

elviresoyez.com

EDUCATION

2007-09 + 2016-17 Project studies, KKH, Kungliga Konsthögskola, Stockholm

1999-05 Master of Fine Arts, Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Beaux-Arts de Paris (ENSBA)

with Erik Dietman, Richard Deacon, Sculpture department

PUBLIC COMMISSIONS

2019 Les nuages, Gränbystadens Vårdcentral, Uppsala 

Saudade, Embassy of Sweden, Bankok, Thailand, Statens Konstråd, Stockholm

2017 Le fond des océans, shortlisted for Östermalmshallen, Stockholm Konst, Stockholm

2011 Au Feu!, Smedslättsskolan, Stockholm Konst, Stockholm

Selected SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018 L´Apesanteur, a duo exhibition with Erik Jeor, Galleri Benoni, Köpenhamn

2016 Un air familier, a duo exhibition with Erik Jeor, Riche & Teatergrillen, Stockholm

2013 Les ancêtres, matiére morte, Angelika Knäpper Gallery, Stockholm

2009 Svenska saker, Borderline, Stockholm

A pagan at my dinner table, Mejan Gallery, Stockholm

2008 Cook a soup from a brain, Norden Ljus Gallery, Stockholm

Mi-monster mi-food, Ak28 Gallery, Sollentuna Art Fair, Stockholm

2006 De l’Exotisme au Quotidien, Mejan Gallery, Stockholm

Selected GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2012 Tryck!, 11 grafiker, Jakobsberg Konsthall, Stockholm

2011 Float All in Windows, Slaktusateljéerna, Stockholm

2010 L´Origine du Monde, Angelika Knäpper Gallery, Stockholm

The Forgotten Bar projekt,curated by Peter Bergman and Jakob Krajcik, Berlin

REPRESENTED

Statens Konstråd, Stockholm

Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris

Stockholm Konst, Stockholm

Selected GRANTS, RESIDENCIES

2020 Björkö konstnod art residency 

2018 Travelling grant, Konstnärsnämnden

2013-2014 Two years studio grant, Cité Internationale des arts, Paris, Konstakademien

2012 Travel grant, Konstakademien

2010 Working grant, 1 year, Konstnärsnämnden

2010 Grey sur Loing, atelier Carl Larsson, France

WORKING EXPERIENCE

2006 Astrid Lindgren’s Memorial, Assistant, Marie-Louise Ekman 

2001 Deposit of printed etchings at the National Library Archive funds (BNF)

PUBLICATIONS

Konstens frågeformulär #1-132, 2020

.Subaltern, 2009

.Le Monde, 2006, "Jolie Cuvée…"

.Ateliers d’Art, 2002, "Elvire Soyez…"


Image and Text Courtesy of the Artist.

Edited by Sue and Emily.