When Edouard Martinet was 10, one of his teachers introduced his pupils to insects. Subliminally, the fascination sunk in to the young French boy. Fast-forward 40 years, and Martinet has become the art world’s virtuoso insectophile, transforming bits and pieces of cast-off junk culled from flea markets and car boot sales into exquisitely executed insect, fish and animal forms.

What sets Martinet’s work apart is the brilliant formal clarity of his sculptures, and their extraordinary elegance of articulation. His degree of virtuosity is unique: he does not solder or weld parts. His sculptures are screwed together. This gives his forms an extra level of visual richness.

Edouard lives in Brittany, France and studied design at the prestigious L’Ecole Superieure des Arts Graphiques in Paris. Martinet takes about a month to make a sculpture and will often work on two or three pieces at the same time. It took him just four weeks to make his first sculpture and 17 years for his most recent completion! His next show at the Sladmore Contemporary will be from November 27 – January 31, 2014.

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