Organic forms, deep colours, fluidity of lines, nature-like textures: the sculpture in wood by French turner Marc Ricourt (Evreux, Normandy, 1963) distinguishes itself for the mastery of his technique, the pronounced edges of his vessels, and the overall feelings of strength and passion rising from his series.
On one level, each of Ricourt’s wooden objects comprises a finite universe; on the other, the completeness of his corpus of works is an elegy to diversity in Nature, presenting a spectrum of pieces in oak and walnut of different energies and dimensions.
Sourcing the wood from the bucolic surroundings of Dijon, he usually turns on a traditional lathe whilst the wood is still green, and then intricately carves and treats the surfaces through sanding, bleaching, and dying until the original vessel is barely recognizable. More recently, he has also been experimenting with dried firewood taken from the heart of the tree, to create highly textured rugged surfaces that heighten the sculptural aspect of his work.
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