Michel Gouéry's X-Votos at Galerie Trafic

Michel Gouéry, born 1959 in Rennes and based in Paris, presents a series of ceramic sculptures titled X-Votos at Galerie Trafic in Ivry-sur-Seine from September 10 to October 13, 2002. The exhibition marks a culmination of his five-year exploration into ceramic sculpture, evolving from relief paintings featuring grimacing gargoyles to stylized elephant figures with multiple limbs, then phallic balusters called Paters, and finally the X-Votos. These works are characterized by their strange, otherworldly appearance, often compared to extraterrestrial origins, though rooted in human imagination. The sculptures incorporate anatomical fragments, chromed bones, and a recurring flaming heart motif derived from Christian iconography, particularly Saint Augustine's Confessions. The heart symbolizes passion and imagination, while a geometric oval form reminiscent of African masks and Cubism represents reason. The works display organic, microbial qualities with filamentous growths and pustules, suggesting contagion and spontaneous generation. Gouéry's process involves stacking and stratification of forms and meanings, creating a tension between form and content that resists clear interpretation. The exhibition includes references to Jacob Epstein, Lucio Fontana, Dutch still lifes, and Bernard Palissy, but ultimately the forms dominate, standing as exuberant, self-contained creatures.