WITH: Marie-Mam Sai Bellier
Born in 1994 and a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Marie-Mam Sai Bellier is a French-Gambian typographer, graphic designer, and researcher based in Paris. Her work seeks to explore new creative avenues beyond the limits of the Latin alphabet. Member of Bye Bye Binary and professor at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, she is particularly interested in the relationship between content and symbols, notably in certain African writing systems.
She describes “torsion” as a fundamental element of her research, both in the creation of non-binary scripts and in the materiality of her artistic practice—bending glass or metal. Ideograms and pictograms offer her a deeper artistic and emotional dimension, questioning text and ornament as universal, poetic, and political matter.
L’Amour en Cage originated from a residency at Passages in the spring of 2023, where Marie-Mam Sai Bellier, alongside Clara Pasteau, observed the environment of the art center to redesign Passages’ visual identity.
It quickly became evident to them that Troyes’ industrial and artisanal heritage holds a significant place in the city’s history and continues to shape the practices and customs of its inhabitants. The forms designed for this new identity carry both a physical dimension, with drawings intended to be sculpted, and a digital one, reflecting the role of an art center within the city.
Selected in 2024 for a residency at the European Center for Research in Glass Arts in Lorraine, she continues the work initiated in Troyes by developing a series of ideographic glass sculptures, presented at Passages and at the Maison de l’Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière in Troyes.
Drawing on local craftsmanship and skill-sharing in the fields of textiles and fire arts, she creates pop, symbolic, and poetic icons—each a facet of the artist herself.
AGENDA
Guided tours of the exhibitions with Djeilana
Every Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Free admission
Saturday Infra
A guided tour followed by a friendly and tasty gathering to share your impressions of the exhibitions.
Saturday, January 18, at 2:00 p.m.
Free admission
Wednesday Infra
Bring the family and join a playful tour followed by a snack to explore the new exhibitions in a fun way.
Wednesday, January 22, at 4:00 p.m.
Free, registration required via [this link]
Tour and Yoga with Saskia
After exploring the exhibitions, take a moment to relax and move your body gently with Saskia.
Friday, January 31, at 6:00 p.m.
30 minutes of guided tour + 1 hour of yoga
€12 full price – reduced rate for members
Registration and online payment required via [this link]
Evening Infra
After a tour of the exhibitions, sharpen your senses and uncover the secrets of Pinot Noir with the Chassenay d’Arce winery.
Registration required. Limited spots available.
Preregistration for members – details coming soon.
