Shaping Stillness:
Juliette Mangenot’s Sculptural Process Unfolded
In early 2025, contemporary sculptor Juliette Mangenot invited Selfless Art Gallery into her studio to document a pivotal moment in the life of one sculpture. From March 18 to April 4, we followed her creative process closely—day by day, moment by moment. This intimate collaboration offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how form emerges through memory, emotion, and intuition. Rather than spotlighting the final piece, the series invites viewers to witness the act of making—where pauses, tension, and quiet breakthroughs reveal the true rhythm of creation.
Enjoy this deep dive into Juliette’s journey.
Juliette’s Early Studio Struggles
and Breakthroughs
In the first few phases, Juliette wrestled with the sculpture’s top section, navigating frustration, false starts, and periods of overthinking. Yet through steady experimentation and reflection, she began to uncover the movement and balance she was searching for—ultimately completing and signing this section of the piece with a mix of joy, relief, and quiet accomplishment.
Early Studio Reflections
I worked through the highs and lows of shaping the sculpture. At first, I felt motivated and eager to find direction, though I struggled with a rigid central form. After hours of adjusting, I finally created depth and movement, bringing the piece to life. But in the days that followed, progress became more difficult—I felt uncertain and stuck, unsure how to resolve a central gap without compromising access to the interior. Progress was minimal, and I ended one session frustrated and uninspired. Thankfully, a short break helped reset my perspective. With time, clarity returned. I refined the oval shape and found a rhythm. Though moments of doubt crept in, small victories built momentum, and by the afternoon, I had resolved one vertical structure. Slowly, the sculpture began to guide me forward. -Juliette
Juliette’s Turning Point:
From Doubt to Completion
After struggling for a few days to bring movement and balance to the top of her sculpture, Juliette often felt frustrated and unsure. A breakthrough on April 1 shifted the momentum—she refined the form with growing confidence until the final shape was complete. Signing the piece marked a moment of relief and acceptance, highlighting the emotional journey behind the creation.
Closing Reflections
These past few days have been a real emotional and creative rollercoaster. I started with so much doubt—the top of the sculpture just wasn’t working, and every attempt to fix it seemed to make things worse. I felt stuck, frustrated, and unsure if I’d find a way through. But I kept showing up, even when it felt like starting over. Slowly, something shifted. A new curve, a subtle fold—small changes that began to unlock the movement I was missing. And then, finally, it all started to come together. I refined, adjusted, and let the form guide me. When I signed it, I felt a deep sense of relief and accomplishment. It’s done. Not perfect, but honest. And for now, that’s enough. -Juliette
The Reveal: Awakening
The final sculpture, titled Awakening, stands as a quiet resolution to a journey marked by emotional endurance and creative vulnerability. It carries the imprint of each decision, each shift in energy, and each act of letting go. Built entirely from recycled clay, the work invites viewers to trace its evolution through surface, form, and feeling—an embodiment of process made visible.
Awakening does not seek perfection. Instead, it reflects a kind of arrival—where the artist’s presence, patience, and persistence take shape in tangible form. With its organic flow and grounded stance, the sculpture offers a sense of movement after stillness, clarity after uncertainty. It is not an ending, but a moment of recognition—where the work stands not just as a finished object, but as a mirror to everything it took to get there.