Finessing metal
- Mylinh uses the technique of metalturning to create detailed works
- Her work includes sculptures, functional pieces and jewellery
- She won the Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour l'intelligence de la main in 2013
When deciding where and what to study, Mylinh Nguyen was interested in manual crafts and found metalwork's ability to create diverse forms and shapes very appealing. She enrolled in the metalwork department of the Olivier de Serre art school in Paris without having worked with metal before. It was a good choice. “During these studies, I discovered machining and really liked it,” she says. Mylinh was immediately attracted to machining because it requires the use of large, imposing and very noisy machinery, but paradoxically allows the creation of extremely refined objects. “The contrast between all the machinery and the finesse of the pieces really fascinated me right away.”
Interview
- Is machining an old profession?
- The premise of machining dates back to the Middle Ages, but as a craft it really developed with the automotive industry. It’s a profession that belongs to the world of mechanics and the automotive industry. I was taught this technique with an emphasis on developing a personal style.
- What influences your creations?
- I am very attached to the sea and the underwater world, both plants and animals. I'm not necessarily inspired by artists or sculptors, but more by listening. I listen to the radio a lot and find inspiration in things I hear. I find poetry in listening.
- How does your work reflect tradition as well as contemporary advances?
- I find it very important to know how to relate traditional techniques within artistic professions to new techniques, such as digital photography or laser cutting. I don’t want them to be competing universes, but new technologies can allow us to approach projects differently.
- How does your work evolve?
- Metalwork is a big universe that changes very slowly! It means that I can work on the same theme for many years. I go back and re-examine my work, too. Sometimes there are great steps forward and sometimes some steps back.
Mylinh Nguyen is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2006
Works
Where
Mylinh Nguyen
