Christophe Guinet (aka 'Mr Plant') is a visual artist who creates meticulous floral structures in order to remind us "everything is ephemeral” and that nature can and will conquer all. A contemporary reworking of the themes of the Dutch flower painters, Guinet turns everyday items into works of art with a literally limited lifespan: a commentary on what he describes as the "escalation of consumerism and the race to keep producing objects which are ever newer, more technical, more ‘hype.'"
Guinet’s process of creation is integral to his work; he requires a "concentration close to the meditative state" to facilitate intricate craftsmanship and yet his projects inevitably "like us, will return to dust." He also sources his materials locally; for AnOther Magazine, he used the mimosa flower native to the South of France alongside pine bark and moss to recreate a pair of Vionnet trainers, a cult object that is offered a poetic rejuvenation by his delicate hand. And what is the purpose of it all? As Guinet explains, "This is an invitation for all of us to contemplate, to rediscover the beauty of a single seed of a wild grass, the delicacy of a flower or the smell of the foam." Well, that sounds utterly delightful – and looks even better.
Christophe Guinet / Monsieur Plant is represented by SEIZE.
