Chloé Bensahel

A graduate of New York's Parsons School, she grew up in the United States, but it was her 2014 meeting with textile artist Sheila Hicks that would change her life. The latter asked her to deliver letters to artisan friends in Japan. And it was on this occasion that she discovered weaving, decided to train and dedicate herself to it. " For me, textiles were linked to fashion and industry. In Japan, I discovered gestures and traditions. I loved it! She then embarked on a series of residencies around the world, including one at Mobilier national in 2018. "Normally, artists were not included in this residency, but there was a shortage of candidates and I was offered a place. It's been a great three years working on textiles and innovation. "

Having lived in San Francisco for several years and discovered the world of tech there, she draws on the common ground between her specialty and technology. " Jacquard cards inspired the binary mode of computers, textile workers wove memory cards for NASA. And then there's the semantic proximity between textiles and text! " After Google, MIT opened its doors to her. She is now involved in research programs there, as well as at the University of Luxembourg. " The next step is to work on textiles that move and shrink. The Prize will be used to finance these projects. As huge commissions, such as a 200 m² hanging for a show at the Philharmonie in September, multiply, I'll also be able to afford a little help! "

Chloé Bensahel © Félix Marye