Explore how contemporary artist Manon Steyaert transforms silicone into evocative sculptures, merging painting and sculpture while challenging conventional boundaries in art.
The Power of Process: Manon Steyaert’s Silicone Works as Sensory Experiences
Manon Steyaert, a French-British artist based in London, crafts a singular voice in contemporary art through her use of silicone, an unconventional material that she has come to master.
The process of pouring and curing silicone has a meditative quality that reflects my fascination with both its aesthetic and tactile possibilities
Her work defies simple classification, oscillating between painting and sculpture to create pieces that invite viewers to explore both physical depth and conceptual nuance.
Steyaert’s approach, deeply rooted in process and materiality, is characterized by an intuitive, hands-on engagement with silicone, which she manipulates to reveal unexpected textures, forms, and colors.
Her innovative practice stands out in today’s art scene, not only for its aesthetic appeal but for the way it prompts dialogue on the boundaries of artistic expression.
Steyaert’s journey began with an initial interest in fashion, an influence that continues to echo in her work.
After studying at Central Saint Martins and Chelsea College of Art, she chose fine art over fashion, yet her early fascination with textiles and surfaces persists in her current work.
Manon Steyaert: “Veiled Surface I” from her series - 2023 55cmx70cm Silicone, pigment, canvas and oil paint | Image Courtesy of the artist
This foundation is visible in how she handles silicone—draping, folding, and layering it across wooden or metal frameworks to create compositions that mimic the look and movement of fabric.
This nuanced treatment transforms silicone from a rigid material into something almost organic, embodying movement and delicacy.
Her choice of silicone was not incidental. Steyaert experimented with latex but found it lacking the pliability and vibrancy she desired.
Silicone’s malleability and luminosity aligned with her vision, allowing her to control the material's color and texture in ways that are typically unachievable with traditional paints or canvases.
By pouring and coloring silicone sheets herself, she introduces a level of customization that makes each piece unique.
The sheets, once poured, become canvases in their own right, filled with near-psychedelic color patterns that guide the viewer's gaze across undulating surfaces.
Her work embodies the physicality of sculpture while maintaining the painterly allure of color and form, pushing the material’s potential to the limit and creating a sensory experience that is both visual and tactile.
Color in Steyaert’s work is a deeply expressive force, guiding both form and feeling.
Manon Steyaert: (left) “Untitled” - 2024 (MS.00153) 40cmx50cm Pigment, silicone, canvas, oil paint -> (right) “Untitled”, 2024 70cmx90cm, Silicone, pigment, canvas and oil paint | Image Courtesy of the Artist
Steyaert draws inspiration from her surroundings, including seasonal shifts, architectural structures, and chance encounters with vibrant objects.
Her attention to color gives each piece a dynamic presence, challenging viewers to see familiar hues in unexpected arrangements.
Annika Nuttal Gallery - Manon Steyaert
These choices add to the immersive quality of her installations, as the interplay of color, light, and shadow shifts throughout the day, subtly altering the works’ appearance.
The result is an experience that changes with the viewer's perspective, encouraging repeated engagement and a deepened sense of curiosity.
Steyaert’s work is a process-driven nature. The curing and manipulation of silicone is a precise art form, and Steyaert embraces the challenges and limitations imposed by the material.
The process itself, marked by the delicate balance between control and spontaneity, brings an element of unpredictability that Steyaert uses to her advantage.
Groupshow with Manon Steyaert at
She lets the silicone guide her, responding to its behavior and pushing against its constraints, a practice that adds a layer of organic complexity to her work.
Her pieces reflect the tension between surface and structure, hinting at both architectural form and bodily presence.
By combining rigid frameworks with the softness of silicone, Steyaert challenges the conventions of both painting and sculpture, creating a new artistic language that defies categorization.
Beyond her technical achievements, Steyaert’s work contributes to broader cultural conversations on materiality and artistic boundaries.
In an art world increasingly interested in the intersections of different media, her practice exemplifies a fluid approach to categorization, questioning the limitations often imposed by traditional definitions of art.
Her pieces occupy a liminal space, refusing to settle into any one category, and in doing so, they prompt viewers to reconsider their own expectations of art.
In many ways, Steyaert’s work echoes current dialogues on the importance of materiality in art, a conversation that is especially relevant as artists and audiences alike seek more immersive, tactile experiences in a digital age.
Steyaert’s creations challenge the viewer to engage physically with art, fostering a connection that is immediate, visceral, and memorable.
"artists and audiences alike seek more immersive, tactile experiences in a digital age"
The exhibitions she has participated in—spanning Copenhagen, Shanghai, London, and beyond—showcase her growing influence and the universal appeal of her pieces.
Manon Steyaert: (left) “Magpie” - 2023 70cmx90cm Silicone, pigment and metallic ink -> WAY gallery (right) ‘Out of the corner of my eye I’, 50cmx70cm, Silicone, metallic ink, pigment | Image courtesy of the artist and gallery
With each new work, Steyaert invites viewers into a world where color, texture, and form intersect, capturing moments of beauty and complexity that linger in the mind long after the initial viewing.
Way Gallery - Manon Steyaert
Her pieces offer a fresh perspective on the potential of materials to convey emotion and provoke thought, creating a space where art, architecture, and the natural world converge.
In conclusion, Manon Steyaert’s art is a compelling blend of technical mastery and creative exploration.
Manon Steyaert: From the GlogauAIR Berlin Artist in Residence Program | Image Courtesy of the Artist
Through her innovative use of silicone, she has developed a practice that is as engaging as it is thought-provoking, drawing on her background in fashion to shape a unique visual language that resonates with contemporary audiences.
By embracing the unpredictable and working within the fluid boundaries of painting and sculpture, Steyaert has positioned herself as a vital voice in contemporary art, one whose work encourages viewers to look, linger, and question.
Her art is not only a reflection of her personal journey but a celebration of materiality, movement, and the infinite possibilities of form.
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