Lise Bouissière draws a particular fascination to creating from unwanted objects. She collects ephemeral objects and gives them grandeur by mounting them onto surreal volumes. Enamored with London, it is no coincidence that her sculptures call to mind city cranes from the London skyline, almost grown from the ground.
You can sometimes find Lise Bouissière at Koppel Project, the Royal Society of Sculptors or in front of the window of her latest exhibit at the Smallest Gallery in Soho (this is the real name!) on Dean Street. If you pass by Soho, you'll see Lise's latest piece called Gowns. It evokes the ever-evolving power of nature. Lise picks up wood, flowers and feathers found from her walks in Hyde Park and engages in a unique assembling process where each element stands in an intricate balance of discretion and majesty. The title of the piece, Gowns, stems from the idea of dressing up with a myriad of precious and interchangeable ornaments. What stimulates Lise the most is the infinite surprise that comes from this construction, a construction that keeps reinventing itself indefinitely and whose essence is rooted in transformability.
Combining urban and natural elements, Lise's work explores the possibility of endless optimization, both of space and resources. All chosen materials in Gowns come from nature and are ephemeral by definition. The structure relies on a convoluted equilibrium where each element matters. In a context when our natural resources might be more limited than ever, this installation appears as a symbol of our times and an invitation to rethink our consumption.
Lise Bouissière is no stranger to the theme of upcycling. Her previous piece, Roller Coaster, was made of straws from a bubble tea shop. Again in an attempt to give objects a second life, Roller Coaster questions the fragility of our ecosystem, living and built. You might have seen it during the Kensington & Chelsea Art Week Art Trail or the Royal Society of Sculptors Summer Show.
When Lise is not in her studio, she creates her installations in her living room, suspending sticks from the ceiling and using her magic wand called Dremel to connect each piece together. It allows her to dovetail sticks into each other so the overall structure stays in place. This lets the installation waver with the wind but never fall. Once the structure is in place, the possibilities of embellishment are endless, from fresh tulips to wilted roses. This makes Lise's sculptures infinitely modular, offering a permanent rebirth to the art piece.
A Central Saint Martin's Alumni, Lise Bouissière would love to be represented by a gallery but is open to doing brand collaborations and art happenings. Meanwhile, her exhibit at the Smallest Gallery in Soho is on until October, go check it out if you're spending summer in London or are coming for Frieze!
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