Installation view of “For Thirsting Flowers” at Carvalho, New York, 2025. (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
In many ways, weaving came naturally to Élise Peroi. Ever since she was young, the French artist has been exposed to the artform, thanks in no small part to her mother, who was a seamstress and sewing teacher.
“I spent a lot of time surrounded by fabric,” Peroi tells My Modern Met. “I loved the texture and the potential of what this flexible material could become.”
By the time she was 12, Peroi began producing her own weaving projects and, later, she also underwent formal training in the medium. All of those experiences eventually culminated in the expansive, multidisciplinary practice for which the artist is known today. Her work often contends with themes of emptiness and visibility, braiding together painted fabric, delicate textiles, and semi-transparent panels. No matter their scale or silhouette, these installations betray the artist’s architectural sensibility, constantly shifting in the light and inviting viewers to explore the atmosphere they cultivate.
“Weaving allows me to create windows, passages, architectures, and spaces to pass through,” the artist says.
Even so, Peroi cautions that her work doesn’t merely revolve around completion. On the contrary, she believes that the process of weaving itself can be more meditative and philosophical than the finished product. This shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, considering that Peroi’s practice involves several media. To create one of her fiber installations, she first paints on silk and then cuts it into ribbon-like threads. After that, she manipulates these fine strips through weaving, effectively “recomposing the painting,” as she explains. Once done, she suspends or stretches the weaving within a wooden frame, resulting in layered, highly structural surfaces that demand an attentive eye.
“Reaching the weaving stage is already very meditative for me,” Peroi adds. “It compares to artistic expressions that focus on the repetition of gestures.”
That’s precisely why the artist also links weaving and dance in her mind. Much like dance, fiber art emerges through specific movements, transforming empty space into something tangled with color, dimension, and physicality. “For me, weaving isn’t just an artistic expression,” Peroi claims. “It’s a medium with memory and history. I don’t just use the medium—I also infuse its philosophy.”
It’s clear that heritage, craft, and generational storytelling are at the heart of Peroi’s work, which she recently showcased during this year’s edition of Frieze Los Angeles. During the art fair, she presented smaller canvases alongside a monumental installation, composed of stacked boxes draped in wispy threads. The effect was enchanting, as if the fibers were reeds gently bowing to a breeze. This image perfectly encapsulates what Peroi herself maintains: “It’s an architecture that, through its fluid nature, allows me to play with the wind.”
To learn more about the artist, visit Élise Peroi’s website.
Fiber artist Élise Peroi creates enchanting woven installations by painting on silk and cutting it into ribbon-like threads.
Installation view of “Le langage des oiseaux,” at Wallonia Brussels Delegation, Paris, 2024. (Photo: courtesy of the artist)
Installation view of “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” at the Museo di Sant’Orsola, Florence, Italy, 2025. (Photo: Claudio Ripalti)
“Au seuil du printemps I,” 2026. Silk, gouache, ocre, linen (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
Installation view of “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” at the Museo di Sant’Orsola, Florence, Italy, 2025. (Photo: Claudio Ripalti)
Throughout her practice, Peroi explores themes of emptiness and visibility, encouraging visitors to encounter the delicacy of her work up-close.
“Les reflets de janvier,” 2026. Silk, gouache, and linen. (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
Installation view of Élise Peroi’s solo presentation at Frieze Los Angeles, 2026. (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
Installation view of Élise Peroi’s solo presentation at Frieze Los Angeles, 2026. (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
“L’ocre du vent I–VI,” 2025-26. Silk, gouache, ocre, and linen. (Photo: Carvahlo, New York)
Photo: Carvahlo, New York
Élise Peroi: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Élise Peroi.
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