ABOUT
LAURENT GUEZ - Designer, ceramist artist - French / Canadian
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"From an early age, I developed a natural affinity for construction, imagining and assembling entire cities with Lego. This instinctive relationship with structure and form led me to pursue industrial design studies at the École Nationale des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Arts in Paris, where I lived and worked from 1975 to 2000.
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Since 1981, I have been deeply engaged in design, beginning my career in Paris as a designer and art director. After moving to Canada in 2000, I founded Guez Communication & Design in Montreal and later became a partner at Tux Creative Agency in 2010, serving as Vice President of Environment Design. Drawn to the creation of spaces that are both visually striking and rich in identity, I designed environments ranging from department store kiosks to stand-alone boutiques, collaborating with internationally renowned clients, particularly within the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
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In 2014, I began exploring my creativity beyond the constraints of commerce, gradually shifting my focus toward artistic practice. This transition culminated in 2022, when I fully dedicated myself to art and opened my ceramic studio in Abercorn and Mansonville, Québec.
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I turned to a three-dimensional medium—clay, and more specifically, its most refined form: porcelain. Drawing on decades of experience in construction, design, and problem-solving, I create complex, often large-scale works that reflect my personal vision of life and its inherent challenges.
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Trained in wheel-throwing, I initially produced functional tableware before expanding my practice toward sculptural works and ceramic furniture in stoneware and porcelain. My discovery of porcelain craftsmanship in Faenza, Italy, marked a pivotal moment in my artistic development, opening new perspectives and allowing me to explore a wide range of shaping techniques, including throwing, molding, and hand-building.
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Today, my work revolves around the notion of resilience and the individual’s capacity to evolve in response to environmental constraints. The cactus—through its diversity, organic growth patterns, and extraordinary ability to adapt to hostile conditions—has become my primary source of inspiration.
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To bring these organic forms to life and push the boundaries of contemporary ceramics, I employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining wheel-throwing, molding, and the assembly of diverse materials such as paper, wood, and metal. These mixed techniques enrich both my sculptural works and my ceramic furniture pieces.
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I consider myself both an expansive dreamer and a pragmatic rationalist.
These two opposing forces coexist and actively shape my current ceramic practice."
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​EXHIBITIONS ​​​
2026
March
Itsliquid, London contemporary 2026 – 16th edition https://www.itsliquid.com/
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2025
Selected to participate in the XV Florence Biennale 2025 in Ceramic Art category. (declined and reported to 2027 for personal reason) https://www.florencebiennale.org/en/home
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2024
Looking ahead, I am to exhibit at Spazio Ceramica in Faenza, Italy https://www.facebook.com/spazioceramicafaenza
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2023
I exhibited at Art Lab Gallery (https://www.facebook.com/artlab341/) in Knowlton and participated in a sculpture workshop with Mexican artist Juan Luis Potosi, leading to a shared exhibition.
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2021
I returned to the Abercorn Cultural Centre for another " in the Park" collective sale and was involved in the WIP "The Circular Market" exhibition.
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2020
I showcased my ceramic tableware collection at the Abercorn Cultural Centre in Canada during the "Art in Park" solo exhibition. The following months, I participated collective exhibitions at WIP Gallery Montréal https://www.wip.works/, including "Les Matériaux" and "The Circular Market.
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RESIDENCIES​
2026
March
I have been chosen as one of the winners of the Special Prize - NY20+ for the 20th edition of Arte Laguna Prize.
The Art Residency prize I won includes:
- 31 days of residency in China
- Accommodation in furnished and equipped private or shared bedrooms
- Standard breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Use of studios/workspaces
- Participations in initiatives organized by NY20+, meetings, seminars and talks
NY20+ is an art promotion organization owned by Chengdu Nongyuan culture and Art Promotion Co., Ltd. for international art and culture exchanges and overseas projects. Situated in Chengdu, Sichuan, it interconnects Chengdu and other regions across the world for the development of art and culture.
https://artelagunaprize.com/20th-edition-winners/
http://www.ny20plus.com/en/h-col-315.html
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September
For the 3rd time, 3 months of residency at Faenza art ceramic center to work on a new collection of furniture and sculpture. The works produced in Italy will be presented at Argillà the international ceramics biennale in Faenza, in Emilia-Romagna. This movement between territories fuels my evolution and opens the work to collaborations, expertise, and diverse contexts.
https://www.facc-art.it/en/
https://www.argilla-italia.it/en/
2024
I was honored to participate in a residency (3 months) at the Faenza Ceramic Center , supported by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.
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2023
I was honored to be an artist in residence at the Faenza Ceramic Center in Italy, where I developed ceramic tables inspired by the intriguing opposition between organic elements and static structures (2 months).
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ARTICLES​
​2025
Featured Artist: Laurent Guez, ITSLIQUID
https://www.itsliquid.com/featuredartist-laurent-guez.html
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2025
ART&NATURE, Skin magazine, Issue 18
https://www.gerardolarrea.com/shop/skin-magazine-18
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