Marguerite Humeau

Marguerite Humeau entwines art and science. Her practice is driven by a thirst for understanding and draws from a broad range of inspirations – both ancient and futuristic. Medicinal plants, artificial intelligence and Stone Age renditions of Venus to name a few. Each project stems from a specific question. What did Cleopatra sound like? What if elephants were Earth’s dominant species? From there, in-depth research begins. Humeau consults experts along the way – from biologists and palaeontologists to marginalised holders of knowledge such as foragers and storytellers. This process eventually leads to expansive, multimedia artworks which span sculpture, installation and drawing.

Life and death are pivotal concepts for Humeau, specifically in relation to humankind’s destruction of nature. “I think life and death belong together,” she says. MIST – a solo show from 2019 – was inspired by a study which observed a rise in whales committing suicide. It explored the idea that animals can experience grief and conceptualise an afterlife. The whale-shaped, pearlescent sculptures were at once sci-fi and celestial. Pain was tangible in the creatures’ postures, alluding to the mass destruction of sea life and its devastating consequences. Across her practice, Humeau probes the world around us and finds limitless possibilities. Her curious eye remains fixed on the ways we live, die and coexist.