French-Spanish-Moroccan visual artist, embroiderer born in Casablanca, Morocco in 1969.
Trained at the École Lesage, the Conservatoire des broderies de Lunéville and with a diploma in Embroidery Arts. I use ancestral embroidery techniques to create mostly textile works, often with an organic appearance, which protrude from the frame and whose reverse side reveals the path followed by the hands.
With a diploma in Space Design from the ESAT (Higher School of Art and Techniques) and a degree in Visual Arts from the University of Paris 1, my artistic work draws on a wide range of artistic practices.
I use a variety of creative processes and media - photography, monoprints, silkscreening, sculpture, painting, drawing - as starting points for stories embroidered on both sides of the embroidery loom, with Lunéville hook and needle.
Following the rhythm of my meditations, I embroider on tarlatan gauze, which invokes medical-uses world, and on a thin, fragile paper pointing to a world that only thread can heal, transform and regenerate. I add beads and sculpt elements in relief, which makes the work become more precious, organic, mobile, almost alive, escaping from the frame.
I’m interested in what’s alive within the human body and the microscopic ecosystems that live there. I transpose this into an enchanted world, beyond appearances, be it fiction or poetry, weaving links within the trees that the thread follows and materialises.
I live and work in Paris, on the heights of Belleville where my studio is located. I am a member of Maison des Artistes, ADAGP, Ateliers d'Artistes de Belleville and Cercle de l'Art.
My work has been exhibited in France, Romania, the USA and Ukraine at international textile art exhibitions, biennials and triennials.
“I grew up on the road
watching landscapes go past at breakneck speed...
Fleeting moments, caught on the fly, speed of a timer.
Time has halted under a tree, where we tell each other stories of where we come from and where we're going. That is where links are forged...
A dream of slowing down again, sitting on the ground, shifting our point of view, observing the world, rediscovering it, again...
Slowing down again and again, until you perceive the practically invisible movements of the air, feel the wind stroking your soul, breathe in, breathe out, watch the leaves take their flight, swirl and gain height...
The gaze finally settles, and the story can take on a new shape...
From my contemplations
arise images
timeless images,
moments captured,
printed,
drawn,
reworked,
enigmas of sorts,
that take shape
as the thread
tangles
with
my mixed-race roots
to untangle through sewing and embroidery.
And I continue to follow a thread that escapes the frame, inviting the viewer to join me in a meditation on the thread, even if it means drawing anew the thread of one's life...
In short, I dream of a world in which, every morning, we have the chance to slow down time, contemplate life, seize the present moment and draw the thread of our destiny... ”
Stéphanie Olivar
Artistic CV
2024
- November 22-December 30. Group exhibition, LA BELLE ET LA BETE MMXXIV, Galerie L' Aiguillage, Curator: Isabel Bertelot, Paris, France.
- June 13-July 18. Group exhibition, Textile et fil, Galerie L' Aiguillage, Curator: Isabel Bertelot, Paris, France.
- June 1-2. Collective work, 20000 artistes sous les mers ou presque, La nuit blanche de Paris, 23rd edition. Curator: Claire Tancons. Galerie des AAB, Paris, France.
- May 23-26. Ateliers d'Artistes de Belleville open house, Paris, France.
- April 11-15. Group exhibition, Elles exposent, Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris, France.
- April 1-30. Art Month du Cercle de l'art, 102 selected artists. Project by Margaux Dehry.
2023
- June 6-20. Biennial exhibition, The 11th International Mini Textile and Fibre Art Exhibition “Scythia”, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Ukraine. Curators: Ludmilla Egorova, Anastasia and Andrew Schneider. 149 artists, 33 selected countries. Ukraine.
- May 10-30. Textile art triennial, 6th edition of International Triennial of Textile Art – TexpoART 2023 – New Realities. Galeria de Artă ApArte a Universității Naționale de Artă George Enescu. Curatrice : PhD. Miruna Hașegan. Iasi, Roumanie.
2022
- October 2-8. Group exhibition, Les Vendémiaires d’automne, Chemin de traverse. Curator: Christiane Villalonga. 5 selected artists. Saint-Mathieu-de Tréviers, France.
- June 1-15. Textile art biennial: The 14th International Textile and Fibre Art Biennial “Scythia », Ivano-Frankivs’k, Ukraine. Curators: L.Egorova, A & A.Schneider. 98 artists from 34 countries selected. Ukraine.
2020
- Dec 10-20: Group exhibition, Little Big Art, Galerie des AAB. Curator: Constance Martiny Sondag. Paris, France.
- Oct 9-31: Group show, Vill'up, 11 ephemeral galleries. Curator: Joyce B. Paris, France.
- March 7-22. Group exhibition, International Women's Day, 6 Femmes artistes à l’honneur. “Printemps Féminin”. Musée de la Maison Consulaire, Curator: Christine Laborde, Saint-Leu-La-Forêt, France.
2017
- June 19-July 30. Textile art biennial, The 8th International Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Mini Textile Art « Scythia », Kherson/Ivano, Frankivs’k, Ukraine. Curators: Ludmila Egorova, Andrew Schneider. 132 artists, 33 countries. Ivano Frankvis'k, Ukraine.
- June 19-July 2 Group show, Art Gallery Kherson, Kherson, Ukraine.
- July 17-30 Art Museum Catholic Church of the Holy Virgin Maria Ivano Frankvis'k, Ukraine.
2016
- Sept. 17-18. European Heritage Days 2016 organized by the French Ministry of Culture and the Direction Générale des Patrimoines. Group exhibition, Le Matrimoine, L’étoffe des Femmes, La Maison des Métallos. Curator: Sylvie Cohen, Le Comité Métallos. With works by Louise Bourgeois. Paris, France.
- May 13-30. Solo exhibition, Au fil des arbres, Café Social de Belleville, Paris, France.
- May 13-15. Collective installation, Passeport, Villa Belleville, Paris, France.
- March 3-6. Collective exhibition, Les Nouveaux, Galerie des AAB, Paris, France.
- Collective exhibition, L’amour, Galerie L’Amour, Collectif art Squat Punk, Bagnolet, France.
2015 and before
- 2015 September 4-25. Group exhibition, The Resurrection of The Exquisite Corpse, Artworks Richmond Museum, Galleries & Studios, Manchester Art District. Curator: Helene Ruiz. Virginia, U.S.A.
- 2009 1-15 avril. Collective exhibition, Poisson d’avril, espace Les petits joueurs, Paris, France.
- 2004. Exposition Secrets d’Afrique, Mairie du 17ème arrondissement de Paris, France.
- Works in private collections in France, Morocco, Spain and the USA
- 2024-25. Artist selected for season 4 of the Cercle de l'art - 50 artists selected.
- 2023-24. Artist selected for season 3 of the Cercle de l'art - 102 artists selected.
- 2022. Résidence Les Vendémiaires d’Automne, Saint-Mathieu-de Tréviers, France.
- 2019-present. Resident artist at Atelier Melingue, Paris, France.
- 2017-19. Artist in residence at La Halle Papin, Pantin, France.
- 2025. Scheduled from July 7 to 11: textile upcycling, painting and embroidery, Service des Cours d'adultes de la ville de Paris.
- 2024. A student from the Campus des métiers d'arts de Versailles will be welcomed and trained in embroidery in my studio.
- 2022. Histoire de la Broderie, Ecole Duperré and Service des Cours d'adultes de la ville de Paris.
- 2020. Guest artist. Marché public négocié workshop art textile, Ecole Municipale d'arts Plastiques Gustave Courbet, St-Denis, France.
- 2017-18. Guest artist. Design and production of a monumental textile work. Call for projects under the departmental plan La culture et l’art au collège initiated by the Département de la Seine St-Denis in partnership with the Association Citoyenneté Jeunesse and Collège Fabien, St-Denis, France.
- 2016-18. Art workshops, Archipéllia associations, CFFC, etc.
- 2024. Collective work, 20000 artistes sous les mers ou presque, La nuit blanche de Paris, 23rd edition. Curatrice : Claire Tancons. Galerie des AAB, Paris, France.
- 2017-18. Projet Cloth U’Art. Design and production of a monumental participatory textile work with C. Le Runigo, Paris, France.
- 2016. Joint work with Pascale Baud. Exposition The Resurrection of The Exquisite Corpse, France, USA.
- 2024-25. Preparation and recording of a podcast in January 25 with Cercle de l'Art.
- 2024. Art Circle season 4 guide.
- 2024. « Paroles de pro » dans Passer votre CAP Broderie, arts de la broderie main, Joëlle Conrad et Laurence Dorlhac, Editions Eyrolles, 21/11/2024.
- 2024. Un détail de taille, éditions le Cercle de l'Art, season 3.
- 2007-2008. L’évaluation en arts plastiques. Participation in a collective study led by F. Flambart and A. Diot. Diot, commissioned by Agnès Fabre, IA-IPR, 2007-2008, France.
2024
- Nov. chéries-chéris Film Festival guide, exhibition La belle et la bête MMXXIV.
- May 29. Going out in Paris, www.sortiraparis.com
- March 14. Interview Live Instagram, Regards Croisés, Entre artistes
2023
- April 13. Midi Libre, Daily newspaper.
2022
- Oct. 6 Midi Libre, Daily newspaper.
- Oct. 4: Public interview by Joëlle Villalonga, exhibition-residency Les Vendémiaires.
- 12 oct. Midi Libre, Daily newspaper.
- Sept. 29 Midi Libre, Daily newspaper.
2020
- march-april. Dans ma ville, Saint-Leu-La-Forêt's magazine, p 20.
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2024. Lauréate de l’ADAGP, Atelier pro : Principes fondamentaux pour la conservation préventive des œuvres à l’Institut National du Patrimoine (INP) et au Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris.
- 2022. C.A.P Arts of Hand Embroidery
- 2022. Broderie d'art - Luneville embroidery conservatory.
- 2018-21. Embroidery - Ecole Lesage, Paris.
- 2006. Master's degree in art research and aesthetics, Université Paris 8.
- 2005. Capes Arts Plastiques
- 2002. Formation aux techniques de fabrication d’accessoires, Centre de Formation Professionnel aux Techniques du Spectacle (CFPTS), Bagnolet, France. (Techniques de sculpture, forge, modelage moulage, terre, plâtre, matériaux de synthèse, résines, latex, silicone)
- 1994. Diploma in interior architecture, scenography and film sets from the Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques (ESAT), Paris, France.
- 2016-present. Visual artist and embroiderer.
- 2006-16. Trainer of visual arts instructors, educational consultant and certified teacher of visual arts and cinema.
- 1996-2005. Head decorator - theater - cinema - advertising film - music video. France, USA, Morocco.
