Prune Nourry Sculpts Forgotten Women Artists and Explores Gender Selection

French artist Prune Nourry, based in New York, has been working on a long-term project called “Terracotta Daughters” (2012–2030), which addresses gender selection in China. The series consists of 108 life-size clay sculptures modeled after eight orphan girls. After being exhibited worldwide, the sculptures were buried in 2015 at a secret location in China and are scheduled for excavation in 2030. Nourry's practice is rooted in clay but extends to large installations and collaborative international projects. Her work focuses on women's fates in an era of rapid scientific advancement, from sex selection to genetic engineering, and on women who are forgotten or mistreated by history. To explore these themes, she collaborates with experts from multiple disciplines, including ethnologists, geneticists, archaeologists, and artisans. Nourry began spending extended periods in China in 2012, where she worked with local artisans on the “Terracotta Daughters” project. The experience of building creative relationships was reinforced by her own battle with breast cancer ten years ago, which led her to seek a holistic approach to treatment. Nourry's work often involves in-depth research and partnerships with specialists to create socially engaged art.