D'Arcy Rouillard

I am a Melbourne based Australian-Mauritian artist. I have long harboured an enduring love for artistic expression, a passion that led me to pursue a Bachelor in Fine Arts at RMIT. Studying art at university helped cultivate my artistic ideas and hone my craft. Though, it was through my engagement with VAS sculpture workshops with Grey Nicol that proved integral to developing my passion and technical skill. Laying the foundation for me as an artist. 

My sculptural work is an ongoing investigation into materiality, with a particular interest in the tension and harmony between metal and textiles. I am especially drawn to the histories embedded in materials and the ways they carry narratives, through both form and process.

My inspiration comes from all around me, sparking ideas in unexpected ways. I use embroidery and textile mediums to explore themes of feminism, and the history of women's artistic limitations imposed by society, women's experiences, rights, and the overlooked contributions of female artists. This foundation informs artworks like Artemisia and Precious.

My sculpting practice is freeing and exploratory, with a focus on the materiality of bronze and metal as in my artworks; Ascension, Descension and Veronique. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of mediums by incorporating elements of textiles into my bronze sculptures and vice versa to create a dynamic interplay between mediums.

Bronze holds a special place in my work due to its transient nature. I’m fascinated by the idea that the bronze used in my pieces may have been melted down and recast countless times before, connecting me to generations of artists through the centuries-old technique of lost-wax casting.

As I continue to navigate the ever-shifting landscape of contemporary art, I remain committed to pushing the boundaries of my craft, challenging conventions, and amplifying voices. Through art, I strive to forge connections, provoke thought, and inspire change. 

Recently reconnecting with clay, the medium that I first learned to sculpt in, I have been experimenting in freeing up my sculpture practice through my latest artwork; Mending. Exploring the materiality of ceramics and pushing boundaries of the sculptural form through making, unmaking and remaking. Much, as through life, we make and remake ourselves through our experiences and scars.