Jean-Michel Othoniel

French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel explores themes of beauty, desire and transformation through jewel-like sculptures comprised of his signature blown glass. He was deeply affected as a young artist during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, and consequently his work often explores loss, vulnerability and ephemerality. The alluring glass surfaces of his sculptures and their symbols rooted in fairytales present a romantic vision of life and love, while also giving way to deeper reflection and emotion.

Othoniel, who was born in Saint-Étienne, France in 1964, studied at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts in Cergy-Pontoise. He first gained international attention for his sulfur sculptures exhibited at documenta 9 in 1992, although he has since primarily worked with glass. Othoniel cites Constantin Brancusi, Sophie Calle and Félix González-Torres among his influences, as well as various artistic movements such as Arte Povera, Minimalism, Conceptual art and Surrealism. He has shown widely in France and in the United States, with his works held in prestigious collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. The artist currently lives and works in Paris, France.

-        Ile Singulière at Château La Coste

-      Othoniel