A thick sheet of metal is heavy, sturdy and not easily worked. Yet, in the hands of Francis Guerrier, it becomes a ribbon that coils, criss-crosses and seems to float. This article takes a look behind the scenes in the studio: the materials, the welding, the grinding and the technical choices that bring a sculpture to life, from the raw sheet metal to the finished installation.
Start with thick sheets
The starting point is an industrial material: thick metal sheets, primarily aluminium, but also steel and, more rarely, stainless steel. Francis Guerrier cuts them to size, shapes them – notably by cold-forming – and then welds them together to create large-scale structures with sweeping curves.
The studio photographs show him at work: metal rings and strips, suspended from chains or lying on the floor, which Francis Guerrier assembles and then refines by hand. On this scale, the sculpture takes shape around and within its own curves.
Cold bending
Cold bending adds volume to a flat surface without heating it. Francis Guerrier draws on the metal’s inherent energy and resistance: each bend shapes the material, and the curve arises from this resistance rather than in spite of it.
It is a demanding task, almost a physical struggle against the rigidity of the metal. The sculptor seeks the perfect curve at the very heart of the sheet, and the precision of the cut is just as important as that of the fold.
Welding and grinding
The welding holds the whole structure together, but it is done spot by spot. Francis Guerrier joins the plates together with small weld spots, kneeling or lying beneath the piece, with his face shield down and gloves on, amidst the cables and chains that support the large spirals.
Next comes the grinding. The grinder works over the welds in a shower of sparks until there is no trace of them left. It is a long and physically demanding task, which determines the finish: the surface must appear to be a single piece, with no visible joints. The weight of the metal remains perceptible, yet the outline seems to float: this is the paradox that runs through the entire work.
Light: a substance in its own right
In the series Flowers of Light or in the chandelier DNA of the Sky, light is not added to the sculpture: it is part of it. The metal is cut and shaped to allow the light to pass through, filter it and make it bounce off. It is the play of cast shadows that completes the form.
The metal then becomes a screen upon which the light casts ever-changing patterns. The same room looks different by day and by night, and from one room to another within a house.
The pen: changing the material to change the movement
The feather is one of Francis Guerrier’s most recognisable motifs, and it is also where his technical experimentation is most evident. He chooses his materials according to their intended use:
aluminium for rigid structures, particularly those twelve metres high, which must withstand the elements;
voile or fibreglass for more supple pieces, which respond to the slightest breeze and offer a more organic movement.
On this scale, the sculpture is an engineering feat: it must withstand the wind whilst retaining the grace of a feather. The wind is not an adversary but a collaborator: it brings the metal to life, and the work changes appearance depending on the air.
A height of 4 m. Elan Bleu
Conceiving a sculpture for a specific site
Before sculpture came scenography. This background continues to shape Francis Guerrier’s approach: each project is designed in situ, taking into account the location where it will be installed, its scale, its constraints, the light and the flow of people around the work.
A sculpture for a public garden, a wedding venue, a restaurant courtyard or the entrance to a block of flats is not conceived in the same way. In each case, the piece extends the space rather than simply sitting within it.
A workshop that becomes a place for experimentation
In 2020, Francis Guerrier founded Ascendance, a space adjoining his studio and dedicated to showcasing all forms of art. The following year, La Cage aux oiseaux, a light and sound-interactive sculpture, was exhibited there. The work is no longer merely to be contemplated: it reacts to its surroundings.
This curiosity may well stem from his childhood: a father who was a painter, a mother who was a ceramist, and the skills of the workshop learnt at a very early age. It is reflected today in the unique ceramic pieces and designer furniture he creates alongside his sculptures.
A view from the gallery
What made me want to exhibit Francis Guerrier’s work was, first and foremost, his personality as an artist, and then theapparent lightness of his sculptures, whether small or monumental.
The gallery presents a selection of his sculptures, ranging from small indoor pieces to outdoor works. The indoor pieces, approximately 30 to 180 cm in height, are mounted on a plinth and are ideal for a living room, an office or a hallway. The large-scale works, which reach up to 7.5 metres in height for Tango noir, interact with a garden, a pond or a seaside setting.
It features the elements described in this article: aluminium painted blue, red or aubergine, painted steel, raw metal, weathered aluminium, sometimes combined with a crystal ball as in Satellite. Many titles refer to the wind, water and living things: The Wind in the Almond Tree, Red Wave, Wind in the Sail, The Two Blue Swans.
Seeking the essence of form
Based in the light of the Alpilles, Francis Guerrier pursues a style of artistic simplicity: striving for the essence of form, with a minimum of gestures and a maximum of presence. The curve, the shadow and the movement of the wind are enough to bring the work to life.
To explore this world further, see his sculptures .
