Juliette Ezaoui
The Secret Kiss
£240
A handcrafted hanging sculpture depicting a pair of worms and an eyeball, exclusive to House of Voltaire
Edition Size
25
Dimensions
60 x 50 x 5 cm
Finishing
Glazed porcelain, earthenware, pigments, powder coated brass and cotton
Juliette Ezaoui, Installation view at Studio Voltaire. Courtesy of the artist and Studio-Voltaire. Photo Tom Carter.
About The Artwork
‘The Secret Kiss’ stems from Ezaoui's love of observing the non-human world of the soil. After studying the biology of the soil, she began creating a body of work where the micro-fauna of the soil became the subjects of theatrical scenes, games, and skewed scientific tables questioning the limitations of our anthropocentric understanding of the ecosystem. These two worms are symbols of the multitude of worlds that exist at once. Just below our feet, in the soil, the activity is thousands of times more active than that above the soil level. Cation exchange, mutilation, decay, growth, the bacterias, the fungi, the protozoa, and the animals eat, reproduce, and die constantly. These worms are gently dancing, kissing, and courting under the gaze of the human eye—an interested eye or a wandering gaze hoping to grow empathy for the non-human world that we totally depend on.
About Juliette Ezaoui
Juliette Ezaoui’s practice delves into the complex interrelationships between living and non-living, and human and non-human systems, particularly through the lens of soil. Having studied horticulture at OrganicLea in London, Ezaoui’s recent work explores how soil, as a dynamic medium, reveals a multitude of interconnections, creating the foundation for life above the soil. She is particularly concerned with the idea that humans are not isolated individuals but are intricately linked to the multitude of organisms and materials that surround them. This understanding, she believes, holds the potential to challenge Western models of consumerism, politics, and economics, offering a pathway to address the climate emergency.
Through her work, Ezaoui engages with the pressing issues of soil degradation caused by modern industrial practices, such as erosion, desertification, and drought. In The Garden of Unearthly Delights, inspired by Charles Darwin’s studies, she elevates earthworms to a sacred status, presenting their secret life in a religious triptych format. In My Bingo Table, Ezaoui challenges perceptions of transformation, encouraging viewers to reflect on the constant reconfiguration of matter in both natural and human-made systems.