Angélique Aubry finds emotional balance within discomfort

French artist Angélique Aubry constructs narratives of social frustration and despair through the medium of dolls. She hand-sews garments from cheap glossy silk onto sculptures with unreadable expressions, creating figures that exist slack, shapeless, or leaning into one another. Drawing from horror cinema, contemporary philosophy, and Commedia dell'arte, her work refuses to settle for pessimism—it draws viewers into the center of discomfort while simultaneously leaving open the possibility of collective emotional release.

Starting from sculpture, Aubry has expanded her practice into tie-dye, dolls, and costume. Since 2021, she has collaborated with Ludovic Beillard, extending her work into video and performance. The personas they perform and film together are later transformed into dolls, ultimately materializing as installation pieces that blur the boundaries between medium and narrative.

Aubry's work navigates the borders of textile art, sculpture, and performance, visualizing the collective emotions of contemporary society. Her dolls are not mere objects but mirrors reflecting the frustration and isolation within our society, while also serving as vessels for potential solace. In the delicate balance between discomfort and empathy, Aubry quietly reveals the healing power of art.