Cathy de Monchaux

I first encountered Cathy de Monchaux's art during the 1998 Turner Prize event, for which she was shortlisted as one of the nominees ("elephant dung painter" Chris Ofili won the prize that year). I was doing my foundation course at that time, and art history was one of my chosen subjects. I still remember those pleasant and intellectually stimulating tutorials we had in various galleries and museums - in fact we went to see the four Turner Prize nominees at the Tate in one of our European art history tutorials/seminars.

Although de Monchaux's art is sometimes almost painful to look at (prickly, spiky and needle-like harsh materials dangerously juxtaposed against and confining soft elements of flesh texture, as well as the 'subtly overt,' refined yet strong sexual allusion and conspicuous undertone), the pastel hues of its palette and exquisite intricacy of its craftsmanship appealed to me straight away. For me, her art stood out amongst the four Turner Prize artists that year.

"Her sculptures use materials such as glass, paper, metal and leather. They frequently juxtapose seductive soft elements, often with strongly sexual overtones, with harder materials, often spikey or in some way appearing to constrain the softer parts, resulting in work which is both sensual and threatening. de Monchaux's work from the early 1990s often achieves this effect by the combination of red velvet and steel in simple and strong constructions, but later works have tended to move towards lighter colours, and a more ornamental approach." (From Wikipedia)

To explore more, peruse Cathy de Monchaux's portfolio and read her biography.

Dangerous Fragility (1994)
Brass, leather, ribbons, chalk
Part one 48 x 40 x 13
Private Collection London

Dangerous Fragility [Part 2] (1994)
Brass, leather, ribbons, chalk
Part two 48 x 40 x 13
Private Collection London

Caught in Chaos
Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.

Don't Touch My Waist (1998)
Brass, leather, fur and scrim
117 x 106 x 8 cm
Private collection Washington

Detail of Battle Scene no. 7 (2007)
Leather, copper, brass, bandage, perspex, gesso, silk, wood and glass
86 x 154 x 11 cm
I'm So Scarred, I'm So Scared (2008). Photograph: Dave Morgan.
"In her sculpture, Cathy de Monchaux combines opposites. Hard and rough contrast with smooth and soft, as she places brass and steel against leather and velvet. The forms also work in opposition, with spikes or jagged edges contrasting with sumptuous curves and padded surfaces. Her imagery is sexual, hinting at the bordello and all that it voluptuously implies. The harshness and softness of nature which simultaneously attract and repel - the Venus fly-trap in action - are both present in the unspoken danger.
As the substance of de Monchaux's work becomes more complex, more vivid, the linear motifs recall Islamic architecture. Trapped between two thick sheets of glass, drawings on a translucent ground are at the same time studies and objects. The decorative clamps and bolts which hold the glass together are the brutality; the fluid line is the grace. In recent installations she has added ephemeral elements such as patterns of powder or dust which appear as shadowy traces of her sculptural forms. These traces add a sense of history and of decay."