Alice Riehl fait pousser un arbre de porcelaine plein d’humanité à Jouy-en-Josas
Artist Alice Riehl has unveiled a major porcelain installation titled "Herbarium Interior" at the Musée de la Toile de Jouy in Jouy-en-Josas. The work, a sprawling tree with leaves, branches, and roots, is crafted from porcelain and was inspired by the museum's historical textile collections. The installation is part of a solo exhibition, and a concurrent presentation of her work, "Porcelain Florilegium," is on view at New York's Museum of Arts and Design.
The exhibition is significant for its deep engagement with both local heritage and global ecological themes. Riehl developed the piece through a research residency in New York City, interviewing urban botanists and residents to select plant species that hold personal meaning, which she then sculpted. The work challenges anthropocentric views by blending human and plant forms, and its color palette is directly influenced by the historic "bonnes herbes" textile patterns from the Oberkampf Manufactory. The project bridges ceramic art, botanical study, and sensory experience, including a custom scent created for the installation.