When and why did you decide to become an artist?

I don’t think you decide to become an artist, at least I didn’t.  I always knew I wanted to express my creativity as a profession. I have tested various mediums and nurtured my artistic process for years. Last year I felt I wanted to show the world my art, to really express my artistic self fully. Since then everything is going forward.

What artists inspire you?

My inspirations at the moment have been more from literature and authors.  Currently I am exploring biographies and the works of Louise Bourgeois, Julie Mehrethu, Shirin Neshat, Ai Weiwei…. to name but a few. Literature evokes thought and I absorb the world around me and this is expressed in my art.

What materials do you use and why?

I use wood as a medium for art and I play with light and shadows. Wood is a natural and living material. It teaches you patience, I am carving wood that past generations planted. It is long term materiality, it is not an instant material and in a society of instant gratification it is a very grounding material to work with.  Each piece has its own personality and tonality and you have to work with that individuality.

Seeing my father working and sculpting wood as a young child, I have been surrounded by wood my whole life and the tools were familiar to me. It felt natural to listen to the wood. It just clicked when I sculpted my first piece of mahogany. From that moment wood felt like my natural medium for expression.

What are the main trends you see in sculpture and furniture-making at the moment, and how do you fit into them?

I don’t think in terms of trends, but I see sculptures in contemporary art as an expression of our contemporaneity. For me it evolves into mixing beauty and meaning. Mixing these two elements with materiality and immateriality is a great canvas for sculpting and functional artwork.

What are your plans for the future, what shows do you have coming up?

I have the opportunity to exhibit at LKFF Art & Sculpture gallery in Brussels. They specialise in sculptures and monumental site-specific sculptures. It is very interesting for me as an artist as it is a good opportunity for me to develop my work in sculptures and art installations. This will be my third solo exhibition but my first in Brussels. It starts November 16th and continues until mid January. This exhibition will be a continuation and expansion on one of my pieces launched earlier this year called Silva3. The exhibition invites you to walk through a wild forest created through the use of light, shadows and my hand-carved wooden sculptures.  It poetically explores how we can bring nature into our interiors and daily lives.

Clothilde Gosset was interviewed by Kristen Knupp in November 2017