Marie De Decker
Gilder
Bertrange, Luxembourg
A tactile exploration of gold
- Marie works with 27 shades of gold
- The notion of enduring in time lies at the core of her practice
- Through her art, she seeks to reconnect people with the act of contemplation
Marie De Decker works with gold in leaf or powder form, preserving the material in its purest state to create sculptural compositions. “Gold has its origins in the creation of the universe. My aim is to restore this dimension to it," she explains. "It is never merely decorative, but rather a vehicle for meaning, conveying something universal and timeless." Marie's practice draws on technical gestures and textile traditions, not to remain confined within a specific savoir-faire, but to celebrate its visual language and transform it into a new language. She approaches the material by questioning it, allowing it to reveal its own history while pushing the boundaries of what it can express.
INTERVIEW
I first studied applied arts, design, space and image, before spending a year at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. Very quickly, I felt the need to learn traditional techniques. As digital culture was beginning to emerge, mastering manual techniques was a way for me to gain autonomy and develop my research independently, beyond the screen.
I felt the desire to move away from the digital realm and create something that could endure, carrying a sense of preciousness. I first applied metal and stone to my portraits. Later, gold moved beyond the surface, transforming from a flat application into a dimensional material. This led me to train in gilding in Alsace, and refine my process over two years.
I spend a lot of time drawing. The drawing must guide my hand, instill confidence and reflect emotion. I must disengage from conscious thought, as if the hand could work without the brain, my mind quieted to allow its expression. Drawing is a form of training: each gesture, once made, becomes an extension of an emotion or my experience in nature.
I engage with materials in order to learn about their stories. Contemporary art must be expressed through technique, to preserve the material's history. The act of making should be approached with a perspective of long durations, spanning centuries rather than mere years. The artist becomes a single link in a larger chain of transmission.
