Creaptures

The Uncanny, the Origin, & the Contact

By Hend Seif El Din

Born and raised in Monaco, the artist moved to London–where she now lives and works–at the age of 17, obtaining her BA in Language and Culture from University College London (UCL), followed by an MFA from the City & Guilds of London Art School.

De Monseignant investigates the ways in which inanimate objects can trigger emotional responses and even hold a sense of presence and life, attempting to inject the latter into her creations by providing them with a body, a soul, and a story. Her creations, which she refers to as “creaptures,” a combination of the words “creature” and “sculpture,” share a common DNA, the Uncanny–testing life–the Origin–coming to life, and the Contact–feeling alive, stressing that they need you, me, and every one of us, to stay alive.

Inducted in the Royal British Society of Sculptors in 2013, her aesthetic is inspired by the body, fertility, and sexuality. Nevertheless, she also gets inspired through the creative process itself, while drawing inspiration through sensorial encounters with people, meditation, food, materials, yoga, and massage.

While her work is clear, in terms of style and aesthetics, she does use a plethora of various materials including–but not limited to–ceramics, glass, fur, eggshells, and wood, thus creating a thought-provoking–and naturally eclectic–body of work that branches out into installation, video, and sculpture.