Manon Steyaert’s practice is situated between painting and sculpture, defying definition by any one label. Steyaert hand-pours silicone over constitutional supports, creating delicate forms with the portability of a canvas and the three-dimensionality of a sculpture. Her artistic production is deeply intuitive and driven by the intrinsic character of her materials. Specifically, the artist focuses on the aesthetic qualities of silicone and forges a unique visual language that emphasises its material singularity. Silicone requires immense time, attention, and control, as its curing process can often take days. Steyaert treats it like fabric, draping and folding it over its supports.

In each piece, the viewer is guided naturally by the undulations of the silicone, which bear a meditative aspect in their repetition. The folds of the artworks also evoke movement, abstraction, and action, revealing the motions Steyaert makes throughout her process. Colour is also integral to Steyaert’s oeuvre. It works seamlessly with form to create kaleidoscopic or geometric patterns across each surface. Steyaert’s instinctive pouring turns into lustrous and sleek works that elude the influence of her hand.

Steyaert’s background is in fashion as well as art. She draws upon the frameworks of both, incorporating architectural characteristics into her work. The silicone simultaneously appears loose, like cloth, and structurally planned, almost like marble. Manon’s particular style embodies several contradictions: creating both wall-based works and free-standing abstract sculptures, further blurring the boundaries between different media. Each work appears concurrently heavy and light, soft and hard, demonstrating the sense of balance she achieves in her art. The artist embraces alternative interpretations and viewpoints within her practice, eschewing traditional (artistic) boundaries in favour of an innovative, transgressive, and continually evolving body of work. She challenges the very meanings of painting and sculpture, highlighting the subjectivity of artistic categories and encouraging interdisciplinary creativity.

Manon is currently based in London and comes from a French-British background. She received her MA in Fine Art from Central St. Martins, Chelsea College of Arts in 2019. Her work has been featured in international publications, notably including interior design publications like that of Australian furniture designer Jardan, Elle Decoration’s October 2022 issue, and Interior Design Mag. Steyaert’s work continues to be sought after by private collections internationally.