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'Don't Tell Anyone' is a collection of new sculptures by Clémentine Bal, whose signature characters evoke tenderness and strangeness.
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Opening reception: Saturday Feb 1st, 5 - 8pm Drinks will be provided by our friends at Stomping Ground Brewing Co., Fin Wines and Cré Wines.
This exhibition will run from Feb 2nd to Feb 23rd and will coincide with Stéphanie Kilgast's 'Relics', Scott Listfield's solo exhibition, and Andrew Hopgood's 'Fantaseas'.
Clémentine Bal's sculptures inhabit the space between the human, animal, and imaginary, creating characters that are both familiar and strange. Her work reflects a deep emotional journey, where lightness, darkness, innocence, and melancholy coexist. Each piece is shaped by her inner states, with some characters exuding a playful, childlike sweetness, while others reveal a deeper, more unsettling melancholy. Her characters (often named after important women in her life) wear their strangeness proudly as a soft but resolute affirmation of their singularity. They do not seek to conform. This strangeness is accompanied by a feminine quality: a sensitivity expressed in their features, postures, and ability to evoke intimacy.
Animals are central to Bal's creations, forming a hybrid bestiary of beings that blend human silhouettes, nature, and mythological creatures. Bal refers to these characters as 'small totems'; they oscillate between gentleness and strangeness, offering a sense of otherworldliness. In her wall-mounted works, frames and curtains act as intimate stages, transforming the sculptures into windows into dreamlike universes. The playful use of kitsch and slightly outdated aesthetics—pastel colours, nostalgic settings, and soft forms—enhances the contrast between tenderness and strangeness, subverting traditional aesthetic codes. Bal's art carries a secretive dimension, with each sculpture holding fragments of personal stories and emotions, inviting viewers to imagine the hidden layers within.
Clémentine Bal is a French visual artist based in Val-Revermont. She creates sculptures that blend human, animal, and imaginary forms, giving life to characters who are at once delightful and offputting. Through these cute yet strange chimeras, her work explores the connection between nature, spirituality, and femininity. Born in Paris in 1979 and raised in Savoie, she graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Annecy and has had her work exhibited globally.