SCULPTEUR - FERRONNIER D'ART - YVAN MERCIER

Meet Yvan Mercier, wrought-iron sculptor, in his workshop in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche (this charming Vendean art village is nicknamed "Beaulieu des Arts" because it is home to a dozen art craftsmen and cultural businesses).

Passionate about volumes and metalwork, he combines sculpture and forging in his creations. His vision as a sculptor is inspired by the heritage of ancient Greece, the cradle of European art and thought. As for his work as an ironworker, it is based on over fifteen years' experience, particularly in his specialisation in the Art Deco style of 1920.

A passionate self-taught artist, he is constantly studying volume in the art of sculpture and the science of metals, and his research has led him to forge steel, copper, bronze, silver and gold. He recently succeeded in transcribing the molecular migration of gold in an alloy, a process used by the Incas.

He has created a bronze collection using a casting technique that he developed himself, giving an aspect of erosion and an archaeological vision to his work. He also uses copper for monumental sculpture, using the same technique as for the Statue of Liberty. He creates portraits and busts based on models or photographs, and finally offers a bas relief collection.

Yvan Mercier offers sculpture lessons at the Beaulieu sous la Roche art school, every Monday afternoon from 2pm to 5pm.
You can come and see the sculptures by appointment!