Clovis Deschamps-Prince

Clovis Deschamps-Prince’s work must first and foremost be seen as the setting for an experience of the world. His relation to nature and to all of the “materials” (mineral and vegetal) it has to offer lies at the heart of his practice. The artist goes hiking, camps and walks around on his own for days in search of types of soil or plants that he will be able to use in works that speak to this privileged relationship. Focusing his entire attention on his surroundings, he models, sculpts and implements rituals that convey the texture of the world and its aromas. By “slipping into the cracks of the landscape”, Clovis Deschamps-Prince seeks to share his personal understanding of it. His sculptures are receptacles (both literally and figuratively) that enable him, when the time comes, to share this solitary immersion. They often come to life during performances in which he hands out herbal teas and has participants read out texts. The aim, in these instances, is to create new spaces for knowledge through art.