A broken ceramic vase, a nineteenth-century photograph and an unexpected fracture in gilded glass: the story of Mu unfolds through accidents that became part of the artwork. In my practice as a sculptor and art restorer, this piece brings together two different gestures: revealing a break and making a join disappear.
A missing fragment becomes an opening
Mu began with a white ceramic vase whose stepped silhouette recalls Japanese pagodas and the underwater formations of Yonaguni. Its name draws on the legend of the lost civilization of Mu, as an artistic reference rather than an established archaeological account.
The vase had been broken, leaving a substantial opening at its centre. Instead of recreating the missing ceramic, I made that space the starting point for a new composition. It holds a portrait of a geisha photographed between 1895 and 1897, transferred onto glass reverse-gilded with 24-karat gold leaf.
The reflective surface allows viewers to glimpse themselves alongside the woman’s portrait. Past and present briefly occupy the same image: the antique photograph becomes part of an encounter with the person looking at it.
When another break changes the work
During the creative process, the glass fractured. The break inspired a wisteria design in maki-e, a Japanese lacquer decoration technique using metallic powders. In Mu, natural lacquer and gold create flowers that weave through the geisha’s hair, recalling the traditional ornaments known as kanzashi.
The ceramic fractures are highlighted through traditional kintsugi, using natural urushi lacquer and 24-karat gold. By contrast, the joins between the glass and the ceramic are concealed through illusionistic restoration. Some breaks remain visible while others disappear.
This interplay raises a question at the heart of my practice: when does restoration become an act of artistic creation? Here, the intervention goes beyond recovering a previous form. It creates a new composition from the possibilities opened by the fracture.
From Limoges to La Louvière: Mu’s museum journey
Mu was presented in Les Énergies de la terre at the Musée national Adrien Dubouché in Limoges, France, from December 12, 2025, to May 25, 2026.
The exhibition was subsequently presented at Keramis, the Centre for Ceramics in La Louvière, Belgium, from June 27 to November 1, 2026. Mu is also featured in the exhibition catalogue. Keramis provides a short introduction to my artistic and restoration practice in French.
The journey from studio to museum extends the encounter proposed by the artwork: a fragmented object, a photographic memory and a contemporary viewer brought into relation.
Discover Mu
Following its museum exhibitions, Mu is offered for acquisition as a unique artwork. View Mu and request a private presentation.
For another perspective on matter and openings, explore my geode sculptures in ceramic and glass.
