Ilona Plissonneau's Hybrid Art Merges Ceramics, Photography, and Perfume

Ilona Plissonneau, a third-year student at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, develops a multidisciplinary practice combining ceramics, photography, perfume, drawing, and video. She studies under Hicham Berrada and Julien Creuzet, and also trains at Inalco in Hindi and South Asian civilization. An internship with perfumer Morgan Courtois deepens her olfactory approach. Born in Grasse to a French father and a Bengali mother, she grew up in Antibes and Dublin, shaping a multicultural perspective. Her work explores memory, materiality, and sensory experience, often using smartphone photography and ceramic sculptures. She cites influences from Jimmy Robert, Paul Sepuya, and Otobong Nkanga. Her series includes "Texture of my Skin" (2024), "All the Light We Cannot See" (2026), "In Other Worlds" (2025), "Venise a goûté à Houghly" (2026), and "Beings" (2026). She creates photosculptures by folding photographic paper and uses Rag Metallic paper for metallic effects. Her ceramics embrace imperfections, evoking living matter. Perfume is integrated as a sculptural medium, with plans for a compost-inspired scent. Her exhibition "Ghare Baire" opens at the Beaux-Arts de Paris on June 1.