Artwork: Elsa Guillaume exhibition, *Royaume Pagures,* La Patinoire Royale Bach in Belgium, 2024

French artist Elsa Guillaume’s current solo exhibition at La Patinoire Royale Bach in Belgium titled Royaume Pagures (Kingdom Pagures), brilliantly explores themes that run through her previous artwork of myth, storytelling, metamorphosis, imaginary creatures and worlds, sea exploration and voyages. Guillaume is fascinated by nature and the evolution of living beings. Working primarily with ceramics, watercolour and drawing, Royaume Pagures was inspired by Guillaume’s residency aboard the ship Marius travelling to places such as New Caledonia and Savannah in the United States. Royaume Pagures is a story of a potentially disappeared civilisation, a world before our world featuring crab-like creatures, when humans had not yet set foot on land. It is about sea voyages and explorations of the mysteries found in the oceans, with many of the sketchbooks and drawings featured in the exhibition having been created by Guillaume while travelling at sea. The collection of art works appear to be presented as ‘artefacts’ and evidence of this lost kingdom, a museum display giving a glimpse to the viewer of a time and beings long gone.