From September 11 to December 13, 2025, La Verrière, the exhibition space of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès in Brussels, unveils “Sourdre”, an exhibition by Claudine Monchaussé.
The presentation of the work of this little-known sculptor also brings together artists and figures from different generations: Nicolas Bourthoumieux, Damien Fragnon, mountaincutters, Germaine Richier, Marie Talbot, among others. This is a unique opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in the artist’s ceramic creations, showcasing more than five decades of practice.
The exhibition draws its inspiration from the village of La Borne, in the Berry region, a pottery mecca identified as early as the 12th century for its earthenware, where Claudine Monchaussé chose to live. She settled there in 1959 after discovering the stoneware sculptures produced there in Paris. She was self-taught and, at the age of 89, is still tirelessly pursuing her production. The exhibition features dozens of works spanning more than half a century of practice, from the late 1970s to the present day. For her, “[her] pieces exist in the eyes of the viewer”, as if their life begins with the attention they receive. Striking, their shapes oscillate between spherical principles, symbols of fertility, and protruding elements, as if reaching for the sky. Her studio bears witness to the importance of these themes in her work, their universal and timeless dimension.
This is the ninth exhibition curated by Joël Riff for La Verrière,“Sourdre” is Claudine Monchaussé’s second solo show and her first outside France. It’s a moment of recognition for an artist who is only just beginning to emerge, or to “sourdre,” as the title suggests, meaning to spring forth, to rise from the earth, to be born. Following the principle of the “augmented solo” show initiated by the curator, the exhibition brings her work into dialogue with that of esteemed influences such as ceramicist Marie Talbot and artist Germaine Richier. The show is enriched by intersecting perspectives: a new text by Damien Fragnon, plinth-like sculptures by Nicolas Bourthoumieux, and idol-like forms by mountaincutters accompany the journey.
Founded in 2000, La Verrière is one of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès’s four exhibition spaces. As part of the Foundation’s programmes to support contemporary creation, artists are invited to embrace the space with the possibility of producing new works
