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Virginie Pernot (1967-)
Ceramist sculptor in Cannes (France).
At a time when robotics and biotechnology are replacing the organs of the human body, Virginie Pernot
takes an amused look at the future of the carnal 'man-machine' relationship.
Independent of trends and artistic currents, Virginie develops a visual and expressive vocabulary in ceramics. In an unclassifiable style, she invents a science fiction universe populated by hybrids, half-animal and half-machine.
Her futuristic mutants are articulated in separate parts, more or less asymmetrical, which can be assembled and disassembled like the Meccano construction game.
Here, no need for bolts or screws ! No user manual ! But to dialogue with these unusual beings, it is better to have a sense of balance and aesthetics in order to keep the modernism, the poetry and the liveliness of the structure.
If there are several possible combinations, chance has no place at the risk of destroying the harmony of the family!
And yes, despite their primary morphology which would prejudge a possible wild character, Virginie's mutants are very sociable : they live in community !
" Starting from three, it's the beginning of a family ! " says Virginie.
These are small gangs of three to eight 'aliens', which depending on the mood of the day, overlap vertically or horizontally. The shyest or even rebellious stay at a distance in the family circle.
And like any self-respecting gang, clothing identity has its own social codes indicating belonging to a tribe.
Whites, grays, stripes and reds all fid their roots in unglazed stoneware and the potter's wheel.
Virginie Pernot favors shape. Deliberately simple, it borrows geometry from the sphere, the tube, the square or the triangle, to create a primitive zoomorphic anatomy with softened angles. Then appear pseudo-organs such as a thorny head, a mouth with a beak or claw, a gaping digestive tract, off-center eye-sockets, multiple feet….
« My favourite piece is a vase in red stoneware, inspired by a fossil of a now extinct animal called Hallucigenia, found at the beginning of the 20th century in red clay layers dated from 500 million years. Fun fact, palaeontologists at first not only thought that his feet were his hands, but they also believed his behind was his head. Besides, the fossil had a mocking smile when they looked at it for the first time under the microscope. Very humorous story of an old confusing shape which inspired me this red stoneware vase family, where the legs might be at the top and the vase ready to run and smile.» says Virginie
« I started with zoomorphic shapes, creating functional pieces of art, mostly vases.
I am continuing this journey, gradually freeing myself from the functionality (although still there, but less obvious) and evolving towards toolslike shapes, hybrids that I like to call ‘archaeological vessels from the future’.
Probably a humorous reflection of ceramics as a humanity timeless playground. »
In the fourth dimension, its futuristic totems bring, through their refined composition, a feeling of lightness or even spirituality.
They become playmates who invite themselves into the urban interior.
No wonder the agency of designer Philippe Starck chose them to decorate the Hotel Too, nestled on the rooftop in one of the Duo Towers in the 13th arrondissement of Paris !
A structural work in full effervescence which reserves beautiful surprises to come!
Based in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes), Virginie Pernot's
workshop is open by appointment only.
We would like to thank Madame Virginie Pernot for sharing the photographs.
Text © Christine Lavenu 10/03/2023, English translation & Photographs © Virginie Pernot