Eric Astoul

Eric Astoul (FR) is a cornerstone among artists specializing in wood-fired Anagama kiln techniques. His sculptures are conceived around the interplay of hollow spaces, embracing the unpredictability of creation and the poetry of chance. Fractured organic vertical forms are meticulously arranged, engaging in a dynamic dialogue within the space, balancing separation and interconnection. These works explore the relationship between form and materiality, drawing on the tension between volume and the mineral essence of textures. They are deeply rooted in the timeless artistic expression that defines Astoul’s vision.

While respecting La Borne’s historical stature as a center of wood and sandstone fired ceramics, Astoul turns tradition on its head with his heavily textured pieces. His signature strokes and dense patterns reveal the work of a master’s hand. His wood-fired stoneware sculptures are rich in this tension between interior and exterior, an internal surge which seems to be able to shatter the work, its erected walls, sharp edges and its soft curves. Forms brush against each other without ever meeting. His work is found in the collections of the Musée National Adrien­ Dubouché (Limoges, France), the Musée National de la Céramique (Sèvres, France), the Ceramics Museum (Frechen, Germany), the Prinzregentenstrasse Museum (Munich, Germany) among other institutions. He has also participated in solo and group exhibitions at galleries and museums in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States.