OF GOLD AND BRONZE

A surprising chemistry binds Sylvie Mangaud’s new bronzes to
Alexia Tailleur’s tracing papers enhanced with gold. They seem
to have been brought back from two poetic journeys. One from
the deep savanna, among the high grass ; the other from the
heart of the city, away the main roads. Both having only their
look and attention as tools.
From these far and close adventures, Sylvie Mangaud and Alexia
Tailleur brought back impressions and images, where bronze,
gold, photography and tracing papers give shape.
Sylvie Mangaud, whose first longilineal silhouettes became a signature, here she seems to sculpt the passage. Its tension, its fleetingness and its grace. Her bronzes, far from froze- ning the actions, report movement, its fluidity, and its beau- ty. The elephants move forward with a safe and quiet step. Ba- boons fly from a branch to an other. Herons get ready to leave the nest. Cheetahs roam... Their run-up and their intentions are tangible.
Of gold, silver ans sometimes resin, Alexia Tailleur’s work gives also a particular attention to material. As a photo- grapher, and visual artist, trained to the techniques of the icons, Alexia Tailleur gives value and visibility to what stays usually in the shadow. Her action shots, taken in the districts of Marseille and Perpignan, are printed on thick tracing papers and partially enhanced with gold. Alexia Tail- leur captures our attention by bringing brightness and value in what seems for many, devoided.
Both artists handle, voluntarily or not, paradoxes. Sylvie
Mangaud sculpts aerian and dynamic bronzes when Alexia makes
sacred the layman, the one of the street and of today.