The conclusion after reading In Praise of Shadows is clear: Matthieu Gicquel is moving toward something simpler, more sincere. The glass is textured—why change or alter it? Perhaps the intrinsic beauty of an almost “raw” object carries as much magnetism as a more “pure” one.
Gicquel chooses plaster as his medium to texture the glass, imprinting it with forms that are endlessly random yet always unique. His purpose transcends creation itself. The strength of his work does not rest solely in the objects he crafts, but in the thoughtful approach that shapes them.
Over time, his technique has refined itself, giving rise to the “Yuugen” texture, which emerges beautifully at 900°C. The textured glass is alive, raw, and real. In Gicquel’s hands, East and West, concept and object, unite seamlessly. Wabi-sabi is reimagined, and so is glass.
Text by Frédéric Martin
