Elodie Blanchard: CELEBRATION
CELEBRATION expresses both the joy and sorrow found in life’s moments. Elodie Blanchard began creating the fiber-sewn floral collages during the pandemic, inspired by decaying bouquets, blooming bushes she photographed during long walks in Greenwood Cemetery, and images of wedding bouquets and funeral sprays she found through Google searches. Through sewing and layering textiles, she sought to recreate this fading reality. Last fall, Elodie began creating vessels she calls urns, using a similar technique. These works hold deep memory in the layers of material, and her goal was to make them so intricate and stiff that they could almost be mistaken for ceramic objects. In her Mementos and Trophies series, Elodie departs from her usual practice but evokes the essence of her scrap forest sculptures. Found materials continue to guide the shapes, but this time, the textiles are painted. The beauty of these pieces lies in the contrast between the organic forms created by the stuffed, painted fabric and the harsh, unyielding stones. In two pieces, pompoms introduce an additional layer of fleeting pleasure and excitement. Finally, a clown figure adds a playful, yet perhaps grim, touch to the exhibition, offering a layer of complexity to the overall narrative.
About the Artist:
Elodie Blanchard is a French-American textile designer and artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds degrees from Duperré, the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, and Ca-lArts. Elodie began her career as a fashion designer and performance artist in Paris selling her eponymous brand at La Redoute before relocating to the U.S. where she established her studio. She has collaborated with textile companies to design award-winning upholstery collections, throws, and wall treatments, and worked with architects to create large-scale, one-of-a-kind textile installations for public spaces, residences, and hotels. Elodie’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. She was named “Interiors + Sources Designer of the Year” and served as an Artist in Residence at the Museum of Arts and Design and the Lycée Français. Beyond her studio practice, Elodie is committed to sharing her passion for repurposing materials. She organizes workshops that inspire others to mend, reuse, and explore the possibilities of sustainable creativity.
