From September 25 to October 25, 2026, sculptor Paul Gonez invites the public to explore his retrospective exhibition, Une création en soixante temps ou soixante ans de création, in the very workshop where he has worked for over half a century. The exhibition takes place in a former industrial building he purchased and restored, once home to the company Bourgeois Découpage. Every two years, Gonez opens the space to showcase his work, offering visitors a chance to experience his creations in the environment where they were made, rather than in a traditional gallery setting. The exhibition features between 100 and 200 works, tracing six decades of his artistic journey—from early animal sculptures in steel to more recent abstract pieces that combine bronze and glass. To ensure the exhibition reflects his full range, Gonez has even acquired some of his older works at auctions to display them alongside his newer creations. Over the past 60 years, Paul Gonez has continuously evolved his artistic practice. He began with welded steel, creating animal and figurative sculptures, a style he pursued for about a decade before transitioning to bronze. His work then moved into the realm of the imaginary and the fantastic before gradually shifting toward symbolic abstraction. The exhibition reflects these stages, though not in strict chronological order. Currently, Gonez focuses on abstract works, particularly those that incorporate glass. He often begins with a pre-existing piece of glass, selected for its shape or color, and builds his sculpture around it. This approach contrasts with creating from a blank canvas, as he explains, "Starting from a blank sheet, you start from nothing and create something. Here, I already have a support that I like, which is glass." He also emphasizes the role of light in sculpture, noting that changing the lighting can transform how a piece is perceived, and that transparency allows for an additional play of light. Despite these changes, Gonez views his artistic journey not as a series of breaks but as a continuous evolution, deeply rooted in nature and recurring forms. He refers to this continuity as "a Gonez touch," a style marked by circular forms, spirals, and ovoids. His sculpture Disque ailé, for example, combines an Egyptian sun symbol with eagle wings, showing an abstract nod to both stars and animals. While he admits he dislikes being confined to a single style, Gonez describes his work as a balance between exploring new directions and maintaining coherence through materials and evolution. He believes that even when his work becomes abstract, traces of earlier influences remain. "The guiding theme or the general one is always nature in a broad sense," he notes. Behind each piece on display is countless hours of labor and a deep technical mastery. Sculpture requires not only artistic vision but also the ability to work with various materials, tools, and production stages. Gonez has learned techniques such as molding, welding, patinating, and working with foundries. He often creates models in clay or plaster before casting them in bronze, then reworks the metal in his workshop. The combination of bronze and glass adds another layer of complexity, as the contraction of the metal during casting requires him to adjust the sculpture to accommodate the glass. This process, which involves both time and precision, highlights the artisanal nature of his work. The exhibition thus offers a broad and detailed journey through his career, showcasing the evolution of his style while revealing the enduring elements that define his artistic universe. With 60 years of experience, Paul Gonez shows no sign of slowing down, continuing to create and keep his workshop alive as long as possible.