August 27th – September 20th, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 29th, 2pm – 4pm
In the Eve Smart Gallery
SOLÉNE CHATAIN | Abandoned Hands
Exploring what we make by hand, what we build through technology, and what we leave behind, Solène Chatain’s ceramic sculptures reflect on the complex relationships between human ingenuity, industry, technology, and the natural world. Handbuilt and carved ceramic forms are combined with discarded fragments of rusted machinery gathered from beaches, forests, and industrial sites, transforming remnants of human industry into objects of contemplation. The rusted metal fragments carry traces of industries that once promised progress and prosperity, while also reminding us of the lasting marks those industries have left on our landscapes and ecosystems. Through these sculptures, Chatain explores the tension between holding on and letting go, between progress and consequence, between the handmade and the technological. Abandoned Hands invites viewers to consider not only the traces we have inherited, but also what we are choosing to build—and what kind of future we want to hold onto.
Based in Powell River (qathet), Solène Chatain is a mainly self-taught ceramic sculptor focusing on handbuilding techniques including slab building and carving. Chatain has exhibited her work in several group exhibitions in Powell River (qathet) as well as on Vancouver Island. She has also taught ceramic sculpture workshops in Powell River (qathet) and in Esquimalt. Her current series, ‘Iron Age Frescoes’, explores the fusion of silica and iron, two materials essential to creation throughout human history.
Join us for an Artist Demo on Sunday, September 20th, 2pm – 3pm. Free to attend and all are welcome!
