Wall rust 2, 2021

Veronique Hennebelle  

I am a French artist, Breton, exiled for a long time in the United States, fascinated by the raw and fragile side of rust on metal. Creating works of art in rusted steel allows me to express beauty in imperfection and to capture the passage of time. Rust reveals the natural transformation of metal under the effect of the elements — rain, air, sun — and this evolution embodies a form of visual poetry, unpredictable and alive. I use nature as an assistant, letting the materials evolve spontaneously and create unique textures, hues and shapes over several months, even years. What begins as a dialogue between nature and steel, becomes a conversation between 3 when I intervene in the process. Time is also my ally and plays the role of craftsman. Rust evokes decadence, memory, the passing of time and creates a visual dialogue between past and present. It invites us to reflect on transformation, resilience and the relationship between man, time and nature.

My cubes, impregnated with sea air, are bathed in Breton waters. Using no oxide, each centimeter of rusted metal carries within it the memory of cliffs beaten by waves, the roughness and erosion of the coasts, the misty moors and the endless tides. Which adds a narrative dimension to the work.

My creative space, the seaside, is limitless, changing every day with the tides, the light and the wind. It offers me a singular and inexhaustible source of inspiration. This territory is more than just a setting for my art; it is its essence. Nature itself is an integral part of my works.