Hélène Arfi
The Early Birds have been admirers of Hélène Arfi for a long time, and now the moment has come that we may proudly represent her. Arfi is a French animalier of great renown. The animal artist devotes herself to bronze sculptures that have a very dynamic feel, yet also show grace and elegance.
With Philippe Timmermans we Early Birds already had an artist in our midst who in his earlier career made store mannequins out of clay. Hélène Arfi also has roots in the fashion industry; she used to work as a designer for ready-to-wear clothing. Another similarity between the artists: bronze, the material they use to express themselves. Yet their sculptures couldn’t be more different from each other. Timmermans subject of choice are stylized male figures, in Arfi’s works elegant wild animals are the protagonists, especially the birds that she adores to observe.
Capturing the beauty of a sudden moment
Hélène Arfi’s favourite subjects are nature, animals in the wild and the birds she studies during her many travels and in zoos. Arfi was impassioned by nature at an early age. She studied at the Duperré School of Applied Arts and continued her education at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts in Paris. She works in her ateliers, near the Place des Vosges in the center of the City of Lights. There she creates each animal she applies herself to in her own artistic image.
Arfi succeeds in capturing the posture of her animals – seagulls, snowy leopards, toucans, flamingos, ibises and owls – and creates sculptures that capture the beauty of a sudden moment in nature. She works in a figurative style, the strength of her sculptures being amplified by her precise and nervous modeling. The quality of the patina she applies accentuates the dynamic movement of her sculptures.
Internationally active
Arfi is greatly admired by many collectors of animal sculptures all around the world. Throughout her career as an artist she has received many awards, such as the Prix Sandoz in 2015. The work of Hélène Arfi is being exhibited in France and the United States. Since 2005, she has taken part in the world famous exhibition ‘Birds in Art’ in the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum nearly every year. There she made the acquaintance of Chris Maynard, another artist in our gallery.
Arfi is also a member of the reputable Fondation Taylor, based in Paris. The foundation aims to spread knowledge and appreciation of the arts through direct support of artists, thanks to generous donations of impassioned art patrons. She also consistently is exhibited at expositions such as Brafa Art Fair and the Salon National des Artistes Animaliers.
Works
