Artist's statement

Trained in molecular genetics, with specializations in neurogenetics, paleogenetics, evolutionary genetics, and (neuro)bioarchaeology, I develop a practice in scientific and natural illustration that explores the evolution of skulls and brains through time — at the intersection of scientific research, artificial intelligence, and anatomical drawing.

My academic and professional journey has taken me from Canada to the United States, through France and Switzerland. This diverse background has shaped an interdisciplinary approach that is both rigorous and deeply attuned to contemporary scientific challenges. Next year, I will pursue advanced third-cycle studies in neuroanatomy applied to brain imaging, as well as cranial trauma, with a focus on forensic expertise.

My artistic practice is a natural extension of my scientific research. Through illustration, I document key principles of osteometry and cranial evolution. My work aims both to communicate complex ideas to a wider audience and to lay the visual foundations for future 3D reconstruction projects — including facial reconstruction and neuroanatomical modeling. I strive to make the invisible visible, to bridge past and present through precise and sensitive representations of life.

I am equally passionate about working with both ancient and modern skulls — from early hominins, Australopithecus and Paranthropus, to members of the Homo genus, including anatomically modern humans. Each specimen tells a unique story and offers a different window into the evolution, function, and fragility of the human brain and identity.

For my final project with the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, I chose to illustrate a medieval skull uncovered during an archaeological excavation. This specimen features a rare ancient trepanation. My work highlights not only the exposed endocranium, but also the medical and cultural practices of a time when the boundary between healing and survival was delicate. Through this piece — and six detailed drawings — I aim to reveal the physical trace of post-mortem trauma and the silent memory it carries.

My work in scientific illustration stems from a deep desire to connect scientific rigor with artistic sensitivity, with the goal of advancing both knowledge and understanding — pedagogically, scientifically, and humanely.

In the past, I also worked at the PhD level (first year) on complex neurological topics such as autism, Alzheimer’s disease, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. These experiences shaped a precise understanding of human anatomy, brain development, and trauma — areas I continue to explore through ongoing studies in neuroanatomy, brain imaging, and cranial injury.

To me, scientific illustration is far more than a communication tool — it is a medium for reflection, analysis, and transmission. My goal is to depict the structures of life with both accuracy and empathy, while honoring the history, memory, and dignity of both the living and the long deceased.

I am aware that interdisciplinary work can sometimes challenge conventional expectations. Yet it is precisely in the convergence of fields that the most meaningful innovations emerge. My illustrations do not replace scientific or medical analysis — they complement it, offering a visual narrative grounded in a dual expertise: both scientific and artistic.

By choosing to illustrate ancient skulls, lesions, or vanished brain structures, I commit to a respectful, thoroughly documented, and forward-looking approach — one that seeks meaning, memory, and a deeper understanding of life across time and disciplines.

Alongside my scientific and artistic work, I have also studied the history of the book — specializing in codicology, manuscript restoration, and historical bookbinding techniques spanning over ten centuries. At first glance, this practice may seem distant from molecular genetics or anatomical illustration. But in truth, it is part of the same quest: to understand how knowledge is transmitted, encoded, and preserved across time.

In genetics, I work with biological memory: the silent inheritance carried by DNA, the structural memory inscribed in skulls and brains, the traces of trauma, adaptation, and identity. In codicology, I explore material memory: the physical vessels of thought — parchment, thread, spine, pigment — through which human beings have attempted to resist forgetting.

Whether I am analyzing a fossilized genome or restoring a manuscript, my focus remains the same: the architecture of transmission. Both body and book are fragile containers of meaning. Both bear witness to the passage of time. And both deserve to be read, repaired, and remembered.