I am Manon Hillereau (b. 1996), a French glassblower with more than ten years of experience. My practice unfolds at the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary experimentation. Glass, an ancestral material with endless possibilities, represents for me a vast field of research through which I can continually explore its limits.

Through my sculptures, I invite viewers into spaces that are rarely visible: those of the body, its interiority, intimacy, and identity. My work exists in this in-between space, where attraction meets unease, and where the beauty of the material is as captivating as it is questioning.

My approach is inspired by the anatomical research of André Vesalius and Leonardo da Vinci, grounding my projects in a scientific exploration of the body. The color palette of my pieces draws inspiration from the pictorial worlds of Francis Bacon and Hyman Bloom, where flesh and color interact in a direct and expressive manner.

Initially trained in the glass industry, I first sought to fully master this material in order to make it predictable. Over time, particularly during my six-year expatriation on the Danish island of Bornholm, my practice evolved. There, I found a space of freedom conducive to experimentation and learned to embrace the unpredictability of molten glass rather than constrain it.

Today, I draw on this technical background to allow the unexpected qualities of the material to emerge. Each of my works is mouth-blown. After a long annealing phase, intended to release internal tensions, the pieces are cut, shaped, and polished until they regain their full transparency. Photography, drawing, and writing play an essential role in my creative process, allowing me to step back, fragment the works, and reveal hidden details bringing new narratives to light.