The works of sculptor Stephane Halleux are at once supple and harsh. Materials that speak to industry and contraption; pieces that seem to escape scale. Using leather, wood pulp, metal, and other recycled materials, Halleux creates characters and objects of a steampunkish quality. But to label them steam punk and leave it at that is too little done. There is a darkness, an ominous message I feel when I look at his works. Almost a warning of things that may come. I see makeshift radiation suits and people that are more plugged-in than anything else.
In this piece, Araignee, the ‘cleanliness’ of materials and colours is in stark contrast to the outfits of other characters, who almost seem to have made them themselves. And perhaps I am reading farther than the artist intended, but I see a possible future reflected here; the dated humans and the rising machine-hybrids. Oh, what a note to end on.
© Stephane Halleux © Photo Muriel Thies
Matt Davis is a Virginia Tech graduate and one of the founding editors behind Arch2O. Launching the platform in mid‑2012 alongside fellow Hokies, he helped shape its identity as an international hub for design innovation and critical dialogue . With a foundation in architectural education and a passion for uncovering unconventional design approaches, Matt has contributed significantly—both editorially and strategically—to Arch2O’s growth, ensuring that emerging architects, academics, and creatives have a space to question, explore, and elevate the built environment.