Maëlys Venkiah - Contemporary Art and Material Research

Maëlys Venkiah is a Paris-based contemporary artist and researcher who graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven. Her creative practice is deeply rooted in material research, particularly exploring the historical and social implications of common substances like sugar. Maëlys Venkiah is recognized for her innovative projects such as My Dear Sweet, which involves blowing and sculpting sugar into fragile vessels to address its colonial history and cultural weight. Her work, which often includes titles like V.1-Sediment, V.2.1-Merging, and V.3-Transmutation, suggests a process-oriented approach to art-making that blends scientific inquiry with aesthetic expression. In addition to sculptural work, Maëlys Venkiah engages in social food experimentation, as seen in projects like Toastland, where food serves as a medium for artistic interaction and community engagement. By challenging the boundaries between object, artifact, and edible sculpture, she creates pieces that are simultaneously seductive and repulsive, ephemeral and marked by historical significance. Based in France, Maëlys Venkiah continues to develop a diverse body of work that spans installation, performance, and research-led art, inviting viewers to reconsider the everyday materials that shape our world and its complex history. Her unique perspective as a designer and artist allows her to navigate various creative fields, focusing on the transmutative properties of materials and their ability to convey multifaceted visual narratives.