Stéphane Pietrement Merges Bronze and Reclaimed Wood in Ecological Sculptures

Stéphane Pietrement, the French artist known as WOOD METAL SPIRIT, specializes in creating biomorphic sculptures that merge polished freestyle bronze with reclaimed wood that is centuries old. His artistic journey commenced in 1990 with ceramics, influenced by Jacques Yves Cousteau's documentaries and Luis Marden's underwater photography. A significant turning point occurred in 1996 when fashion designer Kenzo motivated him to showcase his work publicly. One of his notable creations is SEABED SPIRIT – ref. 110, a distinctive sculpture featuring coral-like bronze mounted on a 17th-century oak base, accompanied by a yellow plexiglass plinth representing plastic pollution. Rejecting conventional lost wax techniques, he casts bronze at 1100 degrees using an instinctive method. He sources wood from historic structures in Nouvelle Aquitaine, often employing Japanese Shou Sugi Ban or staining with Asian inks. Since opening his studio in the Basque Country in 2020, his pieces have been exhibited in cities such as Monaco, Miami, Basel, Dubai, Berlin, Venice, Zurich, and New York. He has garnered accolades from Artcertificate competitions and Salon d'Automne, and has partnered with Sotheby's International Realty and Roche Bobois. Pietrement aspires to create monumental public installations and deepen connections with Asian audiences, especially in Japan, where his previous exhibitions made a significant impact.