♦ LAURENCE BONNEL :
Born in 1976 in Paris, Laurence Bonnel studied Art History at an early age. After taking literature courses that revolved around the figure of the artist, she discovered the art of sculpture in 1998. Laurence worked with several masters to learn the different technical approaches of this craft: modelling, direct carving, welding, foundry, patina etc.
“For me, the crystal remains a magical and mysterious matter. During the visit to the Daum workshops, I realized that the work is quite similar to that of the bronze foundry, even though the material is quite the opposite: fragile and unpredictable. Each sculpture, however reproducible, takes life differently, and becomes unique. Thanks to the know- how of Daum, the crystal gives a new meaning, a particular emotion, to my work.” – Laurence Bonnel
Her first exhibition took place in Paris and in Brussels, in 2003. After showing several sculptures at the Grand Palais in Paris in 2006, she exhibited in the Jane Griffiths gallery in Val d’Isère, France, and Marie-Laure de l’Ecotais in Paris. Her works have been presented in private collections in France, Geneva, Gstaad, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, London and New York. In 2012, her sculpture “Les Neuf Muses” was acquired by the King of Saudi Arabia.
She has also realised an installation of an astonishing 30 meters long in a private property, and has installed 9 Silhouettes in the lobby of the Hotel de Paris at Saint Tropez. In 2015, Laurence Bonnel created 2 monumental works in Singapore: “Les Sentinelles” was composed of 9 Silhouettes in bronze, and “Muses” was made up of 7 Silhouettes in aluminium.
Laurence Bonnel is currently the Artistic Director of her own gallery that presents exceptional furniture of art. The works exposed illustrate the know-how of great French artisans associated with the creativity of renowned or emerging artists.