Plant writings
by
Chantal Quehen
Exhibition curator : Jorge Cañete
March 20 - June 24 2025
Private View: Thursday March 20 in the presence of the artist

The exhibition Écritures végétales offers a poetic journey where plant prints are transformed into visual poems, inviting the viewer to rediscover nature in a new light. Through this artistic approach, Chantal Quéhen explores the intimate links between life and language, revealing the beauty, fragility and complexity of our natural environment. Each work is an invitation to reflect on our relationship with nature, while highlighting the importance of biodiversity and the need for harmonious coexistence with the world around us.

 

Using natural printing techniques and working with organic materials, Chantal captures the ephemeral and the cycle of life, witnessing the subtle changes and delicate nuances of flora. The monotypes and other creations presented in this exhibition are not simple representations; they are the result of careful observation and a deep dialogue between the artist and her subject. By integrating elements of poetry and visual storytelling, the artist brings out a multi-sensory experience, where each piece becomes an echo of the stories that nature has to tell us.

 

Écritures végétales is also a celebration of impermanence. By focusing on the traces left by plants, the artist reminds us that nothing is fixed and that beauty often lies in transition. This exhibition aims not only to capture fleeting moments, but also to encourage the public to become aware of the impact of our actions on the environment. Through these creations, Chantal Quéhen hopes to spark collective reflection on our responsibility towards nature and inspire a dialogue on contemporary environmental issues.

 

Biography

Chantal Quéhen, a visual artist from Switzerland, has dedicated herself to artistic creation since her arrival in 1990, after numerous trips around the world. Trained in various fine arts workshops and academies, she has acquired a mastery of various pictorial techniques. For more than twenty years, she shared her passion for art by teaching painting in her own workshop, contributing to the creative development of many students.

Today, Chantal focuses on her personal research, exploring the relationships between image and text through artist books and limited edition art objects. Her work is often collaborative, connecting poetry and visual arts, in partnership with authors such as Françoise Matthey and Pierre Fankhauser. She uses a variety of techniques, from ink and wash to etching, paying particular attention to the choice of materials and the form of the books.

In 2019, she founded L'Atelier du Piaf in Yverdon-les-Bains, a space for creation and experimentation. A member of Visarte-Vaud and ProLitteris, Chantal has been recognized for her work, notably by her nomination for the FEMS 2024 Prize. Her work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums in Switzerland, demonstrating her significant contribution to the contemporary art scene.

Through her art, Chantal Quéhen seeks to explore the fragility of nature, while cementing the link between poetry and image. Her recent creations, such as herbier éphémère, use natural printing techniques to capture the evanescent beauty of plants, reflecting her fascination with the plant world and its interconnection with the human experience.