Edouard Martinet

All items are unique sculptures and subject to prior sale. Dimensions are in inches and centimetres. Due to the ambiguities inherent in measuring complex three dimensional objects, the measurements given throughout this publication are primarily to provide a sense of each sculpture’s scale. They are not intended for reference in issues of authentication etc.

ISBN 978-1-901403-33-6

Dead Wasp – Une Guêpe morte (detail)

FOREWORD

We are delighted to present a new exhibition of work by Edouard Martinet.

This is Edouard’s fourth solo exhibition at Sladmore. His sculptures have also featured in numerous mixed exhibitions with us over the years and they always provide a head-turning highlight in the gallery.

Over the last 12 months, Edouard has created a new collection of unique pieces for this exhibition – a series of creatures including fish, amphibians, birds and his signature insects, all hand-made from brilliantly transformed found vintage objects and mechanical ‘bits and pieces’.

Edouard Martinet’s sculptures provide us with fascination, in their meticulously crafted construction and in their delightfully witty use of various found objects to capture these characterful creatures.

SARAH TAFT

NOVEMBER 2024

LIST OF EXHIBITS

1. GRASSHOPPER – UNE SAUTERELLE

2. LIZARD – UN LÉZARD

3. DEAD WASP – UNE GUÊPE MORTE

4. MASON WASP ON AN ACANTHUS LEAF –UNE GUÊPE SUR UNE FEUILLE D’ACANTHE

5 . ‘RADIOS’ LONGICORN BEETLE –UN CAPRICORNE

6. ANT – UNE FOURM I

7. MAGPIE – UNE PIE

8. FISH – UN POISSON

9. FROG – UNE GRENOUILLE

10. OWL – UN HIBOU

11. BROWN STRIPED BEETLE –UN SCARABÉE RAYÉ BRUN

1. GRASSHOPPER

UNE SAUTERELLE

Dimensions: H : 15 in (38 cm), L : 31 in (80 cm), D : 13 in (33 cm)

Wings: moped chain guards

Abdomen: shell-shaped drawer handles, bike fender, inside car door handles

Rear legs: bike forks

Forelegs: windshield wiper arms, bike brake parts

Ends of legs: bike chain

Thorax and Head: pieces of cars and bikes

Antennae: bike spokes

2. LIZARD UN LÉZARD

Dimensions: H : 13 in (34 cm); L : 25 in (65 cm); D : 17 in (44 cm)

Body: motorbike exhaust pipe, wire

Tail: vintage car horn, wire

Head and Neck: bike headlight, shoe tree, car plate light, antique shell lamp, tarpaulin fixing rivets, wire

Forelegs: small garden spades, articulated snake necklace, wire

Rear legs: moped exhaust pipe, garden spade handle, articulated snake necklace, wire

3. DEAD WASP UNE GUÊPE MORTE

Dimensions : H : 6 in (16 cm), L : 13 in (34cm), D: 11 in (28cm)

Eyes: vin tage watch case

Head: vintage light switch, flashlight switch, shoe tree part

Antennae: spectacles arms

Body: bike bell, upholstery nails

Legs: cream chargers, spoon handles, bike brake and chain parts

Wings: glass, vintage propelling pencils

Abdomen: bike headlight, shell-shaped drawer handles, American boot tips

Sting: vet syringe

4. MASON WASP ON AN ACANTHUS LEAF UNE GUÊPE SUR UNE FEUILLE D’ACANTHE

Dimensions: H : 24 in (61 cm), W : 17 in (45 cm), D :10 in (27 cm)

Ab domen: bike headlights, shell-shaped drawer handles, horse bit part

Thorax: bike headlights, shell-shaped drawer handles, vintage switch cover

Eyes: flashlights

Head: vintage bike lights, vintage switch cover, pliers

Antennae: spoon handle, bracelet clasp

Legs: windshield wiper arms, bike brake and bike chain parts

Wings: propelling pencils, glass

Base: vintage ironwork (Acanthus leaf), cast iron plate

5. ‘RADIOS’ LONGICORN BEETLE UN CAPRICORNE

Dimensions: H : 20 in (52 cm), W : 11 in (28 cm), D : 7 in (18 cm)

Head and Thorax: bike acetylene lamp parts ‘Radios’, bike badge ‘Cycle’, dental pliers

Abdomen: vintage motorbike tool-box cover, bike headlight, drawer handle, Solex fender

Legs: Teaspoon, windshields wipers parts, bracelet clasps

Antennae: Antique drop handles, glasses arms

6. ANT

UNE FOURMI

Dimensions: H: 6” (17 cm), L: 22” (56 cm), D: 15” (39 cm)

Abdom en: bike / motorcycle headlights

Thorax: shoe tree, ball furniture casters, car ornament, bike headlight parts

Head: car engine part, bike brake parts, typewriter part, pieces of a daisy wheel

Eyes: vintage flashlights

Antennae: bike brake parts, metal bookmarks

Legs: cream chargers, brake parts, spoon handles

7. MAGPIE UNE PIE

Dimensions: H : 15 in (38 cm), L : 30 in (78 cm), D : 9 in (23cm)

Body: 2CV Citroën car headlights

Wings, feathers, tail: bike chain guards and vintage oil lamp badges

Legs: secateur springs, garden spade handles

Beak: vintage car ornament

Head and neck: motorbike rear light, tablespoon

Eyes: bike reflector, tapestry staples

8. FISH

UN POISSON

Dimensions: H : 10 in (26 cm), W : 36 in (92 cm), D : 6 in (16 cm)

Head: Moped fender, bike fender, car ornament parts, metal shell-shaped lamp

Gills: Fan blades

Eyes: Flashlights, vintage switch covers

Body: car parts

Scales: Badges from ship oil lamp « Marine »

Fins and tail: Fish slices (metal spatula)

9. UNE GRENOUILLE

Dimensions: H : 5 in (13 cm), W : 13 in (32 cm), D: 13 in (32 cm)

Body: Motorcycle parts

Feet: Brake levers

Eyes: license plate lights

FROG

10. OWL UN HIBOU

Dimensions: H : 15 in (38 cm), W : 14 in (36 cm), D: 8 in (21 cm)

Head: scooter engine part, meat press

Eyes: flashlight reflector, bike lights decoration, tapestry staples.

Beak: otoscope part

Body: motorcycle fender

Wings: bike chain guards. Feathers: oil lamp badges

Legs: tapestry staples, cream chargers, spectacles case parts

11. BROWN STRIPED BEETLE UN SCARABÉE RAYÉ BRUN

Dimensions: H : 4 in (10cm), W : 15 in (38 cm), D : 9 in (24 cm)

Abdomen: spectacles case, vintage pocket torch, shell-shaped drawer handles

Thorax: bike light. Head: vintage bike bell, bicycle head badge

Eyes: acetylene light parts

Mandibles: typewriter parts. Antennae: wire, nutcracker parts

Legs: windscreen wiper arms, bike brake parts, snail forks

BIOGRAPHY

Martinet was born in Le Mans in 1963, and now lives and works in Rennes, France. He developed an early interest in insects thanks to a primary school teacher who was an entomologist. He went on to study art, specifically graphic design, for five years in Paris before starting to work as a freelance graphic designer. Gradually, sculpting became his focus and in 1990 he started making insects.

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. He has a huge store of material for fabricating his sculptures; he says “I discover what the sculpture is becoming gradually, and sometimes I change pieces. But there can be pieces I really need, and if they’re not in my objects in my studio I have to wait to find them”.

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 – but not in a way that merely conveys the dry precision of, say, a watchmaker. There is an X-Factor here, a graceful wit, a re-imagining of the obvious in which a beautifully finished object glows not with perfection, but with character, with new life.

With thanks to the Sladmore team

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Ken Adlard, New Moon Photography

DESIGN: Chris Hall, The Burlington Magazine

57 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6LX

tel +44 (0)207 629 1144 email contact@sladmore.com

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Back cover: Mason wasp on an Acanthus leaf – Une Guêpe sur une feuille d’acanthe