Philippine Henry de Frahan

1974, Ixelles (Belgium)

Work...

'The central idea behind my work is to give books a second life, in the quiet hope that the blend of literary elements will work. Just as the integration of different stories can give rise to a new work, but in this case a sculptural one. I create movement, a rhythm. I transform the book until a new story comes to life.

I also reflect on the relationship with objects. Consumer society limits the use of things in terms of time and purpose. Bringing forgotten books back to life and giving them new meaning is a conscious act of upcycling.'

Philippine Henry de Frahan

About Philippine Henry de Frahan

After training as a primary school teacher and spending a few years in the classroom, the urge to create began to take hold.

It all began in late 2015, the year I created my first wall installation. It was a revelation for me. Little by little, paper (books, sheet music, road maps, magazines, and so on) became my medium of choice. I love working with this material more than any other because it offers endless possibilities.

I fold, cut, tear, dampen, assemble, combine and glue the paper to create. I like to think that through my work, I transform a past written work into a contemporary visual creation, thereby giving it a new meaning.

The central idea behind my work is to give books a second life, secretly hoping that the blending of literary works and the integration of different narratives might give rise to a new creation—this time, a sculptural one.

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