Myriam Greff

Myriam Greff was born in 1985. She currently lives and works in Paris.

With a Master's degree in Heritage Restoration from the École de Condé in Paris, Myriam began her career restoring works of art for institutions and antique dealers. Her passion for ceramics led her to discover "kintsugi", a traditional Japanese technique. This method, whose philosophy is to "repair cracks by making them more beautiful", uses two main materials: natural lacquer and pure gold.

Today, Myriam's work focuses on the fusion of two main techniques: kintsugi and eglomized glass. The latter, which dates back to ancient Greece, consists of gilding under glass. The gold leaf is first applied with a mix of water and gelatin, then fixed to the reverse with oil paint to adhere to the glass support.

The inspiration of Japanese kintsugi has become the artist's signature. Her mirrors are intentionally broken and enhanced with gold. Myriam sees a profoundly introspective dimension: the viewer, faced with his or her broken reflection, is confronted with a mise en abyme of his or her own fragility. This vulnerability, frozen in gold, is transformed into a work imbued with aestheticism and poetry.

Kintsugi also has the advantage of being a harmless restoration technique, unlike polyurethane or acrylic paints. Objects restored in this way can be reused. Although her approach differs from the traditional Japanese concept, Myriam associates the idea of resilience with this process. This psychological dimension explains why her works often illustrate books on psychology.

Finally, Myriam explores the interplay of reflections and the creation of contemplative objects, notably mirrors adorned with marbling. Ancient craftsmanship and traditional techniques are at the heart of her work. She uses Judean bitumen, a traditional medium for aging gold, creating marbling through the natural repulsion between fat and water.