Chastel was born and raised in Belgium, obtaining a Master’s in Mathematics before moving to New York and working in finance. She began taking drawing classes at the Art Student’s League, which led to figurative sculptures in terracotta and bronze, and finally mastering the art of welding. In working toward finding a formal precedent for her creative output, the artist refers to two specific divergent areas in her own life: her background in high-level mathematics, and her aesthetic preoccupation with symmetry. Her current sculptures are motivated by the connection between the natural world and Plato’s and Archimedes’ studies of mathematics. The ancient science of Sacred Geometry, the notion that sacred shapes were not invented but found, is of particular interest. Often called “Sacred Architecture”, this realm of study is aptly named because it underlies everything, woven into the fabric of all creation. Utilizing her skills as a welder, Chastel has been able to actualize these natural shapes into bodies that can be viewed, critiqued, and ultimately create awareness that our physical world is intrinsically connected to geometry and symmetry. Chastel employs a multi-faceted approach to her concepts, working with aluminum, patinated copper, and steel while using various techniques to transfer pigment onto metal.
In examining her own inspirations, the artist finds a rift between works by artists who represent opposite poles in the canon of modern art. For Chastel, the process of creating artwork is antagonistic to the premise that form for forms sake and rigorous conceptual work are mutually exclusive: it is about imbuing form with conceptual gravity, grounding conceptual concerns with steadfast formal value. Chastel’s designs are conceptual but fixated on geometric form – there is no intended narrative in her work, only origin. Her sculptures encourage the viewer to find resonance in the relationship between geometry and the substance of natural life. What can these shapes tell us about human existence? How does symmetry influence and inform the natural patterns we see physically and conceptually every day? Recently, Chastel has considered how bodies found in the world today are disturbed by environmental changes. While her current works showcase geometric shapes in their complete constructions, Chastel now finds herself seduced by forms in their incomplete status. Her concepts do not aim to find solutions, but to ponder whether a shifting environment is a neutral event in the overarching scope of planetary history. Is it possible that the destruction we perceive through incomplete forms is not their deterioration but rather their inevitable transformation?
Education:
2005 Figurative Drawing, Heatherly's Art School, London
2002 Intensive drawing, Slade School of Fine Art, London
1988 Figurative sculpture and drawing, The Studio School, New York, NY
1987 Figurative sculpture and drawing, The Art Students League of New York, NY
1980-1983 Master in Mathematical sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels
1979-1980 Bachelor in Physics and Mathematics, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Exhibitions:
2024 'Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow & Blue?', The Factory, LIC, NY
2024 'Significant Geometries', The Alexey von Schlippe Gallery, University of Connecticut
2024 ‘Denary’, Florence Art Exposed Outdoor Gallery, Florence, OR
2024 'All About Color', Conversations with Artists, New York, NY
2023 ‘Quantum’, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2023 ‘GLOBAL MELTDOWN’, LIMNER GALLERY, Hudson, NY
2022 'Trigons', Alexey von Schlippe Gallery, University of Connecticut Avery Point, Groton, CT
2022 'Flip', Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, NY
2021 'Serena', Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2021 'Détachment', 'Sirius', & 'Antaria', Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2021 '31st Annual International Exhibition', Viridian Artists Gallery, New York, NY
2021 'We've Gone Wild', The Firefly Artists Gallery, Northport, NY
2021 'Nature', Exhibizone Gallery, Canada
2021 'Shape In All Its Forms', Site Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2020 'Every Color Has a Story', Flagler County Art League Gallery, Palm Coast, FL
2019 'WATERLAND', NYA Gallery, New York, NY
2019 'Priority Mail: Our 2019 Mail Art Biennial', Ground Floor Gallery, New York, NY
2018 ArtExpo NY, New York, NY
2017 Conrad New York, New York, NY
2017 Conrad New York, New York, NY
2016 Art San Diego, San Diego, NY
2016 Conrad New York, New York, NY
2016 Tokyo International Fair, Tokyo, Japan
2016 ArtExpo 2016, New York NY
2015 Spectrum 2015, Miami, FL
2015 ArtExpo 2015, New York, NY
2014 ArtExpo 2014, New York, NY
2013 Spectrum 2013, New York, NY
2013 Artexpo 2013, New York, NY
2013 Artexpo 2013, New York, NY
2012 Contemporary Art Show, New York, NY
2001 Jadite Gallery, New York, USA
2001 NY Studio School, New York, NY
2000 Jadite Gallery, New York, NY
2000 Galeria R.G. Sevilla, Spain
1999 Galeria de Arte Haurie Sevilla, Spain
1999 Garuda Bangkok, Thailand
1999 Circulo de la Amistad Cordoba, Spain
1994 Quinn Gallery, New York, NY
1993 Cork Gallery, New York, NY
1992 Gallery Taghinia Milani, Miami, FL
1991 Galerie Elven Brussels, Belgium
1990 Furniture of the 20th Century, New York, NY