As a guest artist for Ruinart’s Conversations with Nature in 2025, French sculptor Lélia Demoisy has crafted a series of artworks that align with the world’s oldest champagne house’s commitment to biodiversity. Trends Style met Demoisy in the warehouse of her family’s construction company and gained an exclusive preview of her works before they are showcased at Art Brussels (April 24-26), ARCOmadrid, and Art Paris at Le Grand Palais.
Text by Anja Van Der Borght
Ruinart launched Conversations with Nature last year to provide a platform for artists who, like the champagne house, prioritize sustainability. Demoisy was among seven artists invited to contribute, presenting Entre Nous—an eight-meter-long, 3.5-meter-wide steel wire structure connecting the two oldest maple trees in Ruinart’s gardens.
“I was fascinated by these two trees because, over time, they create connections through their root networks, which are linked by mycorrhizae that extend like cables across the surface. They share nutrients from the soil, as well as sunlight and wind, exchanging elements and even protecting each other from pests or diseases,” explains Demoisy.
For three major European art fairs, including Art Brussels, she created L’Étreinte (The Embrace)—a more transportable version of Entre Nous. “This sculpture also explores the relationships and constant interactions between the two trees and the surrounding microorganisms. I incorporated seven different types of wood—sourced from my studio, my home, and the construction site—interwoven with white, rust-proof roots to symbolize a forest and the invisible communication in nature. The trees seem to embrace one another.”
The Sacred Cedar of the Himalayas
“Ruinart’s work to enhance biodiversity in vineyards and surrounding areas, as well as their ecological approach, deeply resonates with me,” says Demoisy. “I never cut down trees for my art—I work sustainably. My entire practice is aimed at leaving the smallest ecological footprint possible. Every piece I create is made from reclaimed wood.”
In her family’s warehouse stands a massive cedar tree stump. “A sad story,” she recounts. “I grew up with this immense Himalayan cedar in our garden. It was monumental, a sacred presence. When I learned that the new property owner planned to cut it down for construction, I did everything I could to save it—but failed. Heartbroken, I transported all of its wood to my studio and filmed its felling. It was deeply emotional.”
From part of the trunk, she sculpted a bell to symbolize the sacredness the tree held for her. “The bell has a unique resonance—it vibrates as I sculpt it. I plan to record its sound, giving voice to the tree that meant so much to me. I’ve also created works using its pollen, seeds, and branches. The tree will continue to live on through my art. Another section of the trunk might be cut into pieces so I can lie on it—just as the tree now rests in a horizontal position.”
The Forest as Home
One of Demoisy’s works, La Cape, is crafted from wood shavings left behind after logging. “This piece reflects how sensitive I am to what happens around me,” she says. “All the wood comes from a forest near my home, where I often walk with my German Shepherd. I know it intimately—the locations of specific trees, mushrooms, when orchids bloom, and where wildlife resides.”
Picture by Eldoradot
However, high demand for wood in France has led to widespread deforestation. “Forests are often cleared to plant more commercially viable trees, which disrupts biodiversity. The heavy machinery used leaves wood remnants scattered everywhere—it’s heartbreaking to see because this forest feels like ‘my’ forest. I collected pieces from different areas and transformed them into a wearable piece—a cloak, something to carry, something to take with me.”
Voices from the Soil
Sol illustrates the underground connections between vineyard roots and hedgerows planted by Ruinart to promote biodiversity. In Ruinart’s historic Taissy vineyard, an ecological corridor was created by removing three rows of vines and planting thousands of plants, shrubs, and trees to foster a richer ecosystem.
“It was a bold decision,” says Fabien Vallérian, Ruinart’s International Arts & Culture Director. “When you remove three rows of vines over hundreds of meters, they’re lost forever—you can’t replant them.”
Picture by Alice Jacquemin
Demoisy’s wall sculpture uses dogwood and willow—two of the species Ruinart planted. “The piece incorporates recorded data of underground sounds, something I find fascinating. The mix of soil sound recordings provides a glimpse into the vineyard’s future as the hedgerow matures.”
“We collaborate with multiple startups and engineering firms to track how biodiversity transforms in and around our vineyard. We analyze soil fungi, bacteria, worms, and even underground acoustics. Above ground, we study pollen collected by bees, bird songs, and use AI to monitor biodiversity improvements.”
The Eternal Bond of Trees
For Anastomose, a term referring to the symbiotic connection between two living entities, Demoisy crafted an infinity symbol from cross-sections of chestnut wood. “Sometimes, when one tree is dying, it connects with another and they continue growing together because their roots transfer water and nutrients between them,” she explains. “This natural process is astonishing, demonstrating how deeply trees are interconnected.”
“I wanted to create this piece to encourage a different perspective. It may ‘just’ be a chestnut tree, but its meaning makes it extraordinary. The infinity symbol links back to my work with the cedar trees in Ruinart’s gardens—it represents their eternal connection. At least, I hope the bonds between trees last forever, forming a constantly evolving, self-contained world.”
For this project, Demoisy applied techniques learned during an internship with Etienne Champion, a French theater mask maker specializing in wooden masks. “His method involves adapting a piece of wood to a face using a unique carving technique. You start with a plaster mold of the face, then gradually shave away wood until it fits perfectly. It’s a poetic way to show how some trees become one.”
About Lélia Demoisy
Born in 1991, Lélia Demoisy graduated from Arts Décoratifs de Paris in 2015. Initially aspiring to be a scenographer, she shifted focus when her passion for nature took precedence. Today, her sculptures and installations explore the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Often incorporating steel, trees play a fundamental role in her work. She has collaborated with landscape architects on projects such as Chaumont-sur-Loire (2015), Lausanne Jardins (2019), and Annecy Paysages (2021).
