WHO AM I?

I have always expressed myself through drawing. As a child, I was enchanted by the mysteries of ancient Egypt — by the silence of temples, the geometry of stone, and the secret knowledge carved into time itself. That fascination led me to study Art History, Archaeology, Ancient History, and Egyptology at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, while also learning Arabic.

Yet my deepest language has always been matter. Alongside my academic journey, I trained in art restoration and traditional craftsmanship, mastering wood and marble imitation at the renowned Van Der Kelen-Logelain School in Brussels. These skills, intertwined with a life rich in exploration, shaped a practice that constantly bridges antiquity and the contemporary world.

Today, I devote myself entirely to the creation of works in Halchimia — a rare and fascinating geopolymer invented by Roland Lefèvre. This material resonates deeply with my background in Egyptology: some theories suggest that a similar compound may have been used to build the pyramids. Through Halchimia, I reconnect with that ancient mastery of transformation — where science, art, and the sacred converge.

Under the name Mnestra, I explore the alchemical possibilities of this living substance. My work brings together the primitive and the futuristic, the mineral and the luminous. Each piece is born from reaction and dialogue — a meeting between matter and intent, chemistry and intuition.

The notions of boundary, contact, protection, and transformation are central to my research. Through them, I seek to rediscover the fragile harmony between permanence and impermanence — that same eternal rhythm the Egyptians once captured in stone.

Education

• Master’s degree in Archaeology, Art History, and Egyptology – Université Libre de Bruxelles

• Medalist, Van Der Kelen-Logelain School, Brussels (Wood and Marble Imitation Techniques)