Éric Sansonnens initially trained in carpentry and social work before dedicating himself entirely to wood carving. His first encounter with the material profoundly impacted him: respect for wood and its characteristics became the foundation of his work. Winner of the Bédikian Foundation Prize in 2016, he has developed an artistic language centered on the exploration of abandoned tree trunks, transforming them into sculptural works of great expressive power.
Sansonnens has been exhibiting for many years in French-speaking Switzerland, in museums and galleries, both individually and collectively. Some of his pieces are included in the acquisition collection of the State of Fribourg. At the same time, he collaborates on multimedia projects combining sculpture and sound, creating immersive and interactive experiences where the viewer can apprehend the material in a tactile and sensory way.
Éric Sansonnens’ work seeks to reveal the essence of wood and to translate the human unconscious. Each tree is selected from already felled trunks; he explores its strengths and weaknesses before shaping it with a chainsaw, in a physical struggle that brings forth elementary and abstract forms. His sculptures, while recalling the complexity of nature, give the impression of a man struggling in a hostile environment, offering the viewer direct access to his world without external mediation.