Fish leather
Today, fish skin is considered a waste product, despite its remarkable qualities: suppleness, strength, finesse, and above all a singular beauty, made up of scales, fibres and reflections. Transformed with care and sensitivity, it becomes art - where the unexpected takes shape and meaning.
A heritage that inspires me
Used for centuries in Asia and the Nordic countries, fish skin has also been highly prized in Europe, particularly in the form of shagreen - a leather made from ray or shark skin, popular since the 18th century and revived during the Art Deco period.
Precious objects, cases, trays, furniture and accessories were covered in this uniquely grained, dense and pearly material, a symbol of luxury and refinement.
This heritage inspires me: it shows that this material, far from the discarded image it is given today, has always seduced people with its originality and richness.
From market...
My artistic practice is based on transforming these fish skins from local fisheries.
I went to the Halles de Merville market in Lorient, 9 km from my home, to pick up some skins from a fishmonger. These skins, normally destined for compost, had a completely different fate.
to workshop
The river work
The river work, to clean the skin of all traces of flesh, remove the skin and prepare it for the following stages
The vegetable tanning bath
Made with tannins extracted from wood shavings, often collected from a cabinetmaker or purchased from an eco-responsible supplier. Each species and each desired finish requires a suitable tannin.
The dye
is carried out exclusively with plant extracts. I sometimes use iron as a mordant to modulate the shades.
Drying and curing
To soften and finalise the material. On average, it takes a month from recovery to this stage, depending on the skin.
At this stage, each skin reveals its uniqueness
The pattern of the fibres, the nuances of colour, the textures. Time, a fundamental element in my work, allows us to discover them. It's a slow, patient process that I'm proud of. It allows you to observe, touch and feel. It is the condition for wonder.
Then it's time to draw and compose
I draw my inspiration from the skins themselves, from what they evoke, to create works that combine abstraction and narrative. Here again, time is an ally: it allows the material to find its shape and the image to be born.
All stages are carried out by myself, to ensure consistency and responsibility
All the stages are carried out by myself, to ensure consistency and responsibility. I use as many local or reused materials as possible. The support for my work itself is now evolving towards a more respectful solution, made from recycled industrial offcuts.
For me, creating means taking care. Of matter. Of life. Of time.
My work is a sensitive response to the ecological question. It's an invitation to slow down, to look differently, to honour what nature has to offer. It's also a human adventure, nourished by exchanges, shared know-how and the gestures of those around me who believe in this approach.
