In addition to working on the Hellfest sets, he sculpts impressive steel horses

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His horses don’t move and yet they give off a deep emotion. This is the strength of Simon Boisliveau, this sculptor who, through the memory of a childhood spent in the world of equestrian show associated with a ironworker traininghas created a unique artistic universe made of robustness as well as delicacy.

“My father passed on poetry to me, dreams… it’s a huge source of inspiration for me,” he sums up. This father was Bruno Boisliveau, an internationally recognized artist with his equestrian theater company “les Cavaliers de l’aventure”, who also notably staged the Puy du Fou cavalry school.

“He made me experience a lot of extraordinary things. He carried me everywhere and I loved it. I particularly remember a creation in Paris which mixed circus and contemporary art. It was in 1999, I was 10 years old and yet, it transcended me,” remembers the man who, throughout his youth, played riders, acrobats, grooms…

“All of this is anchored in me”

From this time spent betweenBoufféré family stable and caravan trips, Simon has retained a deep fascination for horses, whose soul he admires as much as their character. But also a spectacular memory of their body which is certainly its artistic signature today.

I’ve experienced them so much that it’s all ingrained in me. When my father died about ten years ago, I began to sculpt all the equestrian acts that we performed and that I loved. Now I only represent the beauty of horses.

And this, in their smallest details. “I like to get as close as possible to what they are, down to the muscles. I work with a few photos but mainly with my memories. I do a quick drawing and since I see everything in 3D, I immediately start working on the skeleton.”

The result is varied creations, some minimalist, others real size. But all in steel obviously.

It’s a material that I love because very quickly, although it is soft, it gives something concrete and very solid.

And no matter how dangerous the job is or how loud the tools are, Simon has made steel his ally. An ally that he likes to work with in music. “I turn it on very loudly and I almost go into a meditative state.

So much so that I have to set an alarm to go pick up my children,” smiles the man whose workshop is in Cugand (Vendée)not far from the Sèvre and opposite a field in which he has installed his 8 hives.

Bees are truly my nature connection. I also use their wax on some of my sculptures.

The artist also makes his honey as an amateur. It’s another of his many hats.

From Ben Barbaud to Michel Bassompierre

Many because at 37 years old, he has already had 1,000 lives. “After my training as a metalworker, I worked for a year in a company and I joined my parents’ company where I made lots of metal creations. I also set up a hip-hop festival in Vendée with my brothers which stopped but which allowed us to meet Ben Barbaud and to be the right-hand man of the technical direction at Hellfest for several years. Afterwards, I worked for 7 years with the Monic La Mouche company on the sets of the festival, I am going back there this year”, lists the one who therefore also has the status of intermittent of the show and whose greatest feat of arms linked to Hellfest remains his collaboration with Caroline Brisset on the creation of the majestic Lemmy Kilmister sculpture.

Today, it is thanks to the relationship he has built with the famous animal sculptor Michel Bassompierre (who will also exhibit 17 of his works at Vertou from November 17), that he is embarking on a new adventure.

“He took me under his wing and directed me to one of the foundries he works with. I am therefore going to create bronzes in a reduced version of my centerpiece, Doma, which is very large.” Enough to allow this adopted Clissonnais to continue to build a fine reputation.

Simon Boisliveau is exhibiting until this Sunday, November 17 at the Arts sur Digue show at the Montaigu village hall, Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. FREE ENTRANCE. Hours: Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. then from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. To contact the artist: 06 23 36 11 26. More information on his website simon-boisliveau.com.

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