Chillon Castle hosted the contemporary work of Swiss-French artist Malou Zryd, compared with Renaissance and modern armour.

The exhibition presented an astonishing mix of coats-weaves and large-format paintings woven from metallic threads.

Born in Korea in 1965, Malou Zryd spent her childhood in Valais before studying various artistic techniques there. Ceramics and textiles become her favorite materials which she explores as a jewellery designer.

But how does she manage to mix fabric and metal in her creations? Malou Zryd recovers scraps of fabric which she embroiders with metallic threads to create new works. Whether it’s armour coats or paintings and tapestries, each piece intertwines textile and metal. A rich dialogue emerges, blending the age of the scraps of fabric with the contemporary work, the metallic reflections and coldness with the matte, warm colours of the textile. Contemporary textile sculptures, the coats of Swiss-French artist Malou Zryd transcend clothing alone. The metallic threads make the fabrics too rigid to be worn and transform them into a bulky shell resembling real woven fabric.

Between the armour on display and the coats, there is therefore an obvious dialogue within the walls of the Chillon Castle. While the primary aim of armour is to protect its wearer, it must also command respect and admiration. These are not empty metal shells: they are adorned in rich textiles, feathers on helmets and fine engravings give the metal an embroidered appearance. You have to impress both friends and enemies. Malou Zryd’s works have these same characteristics. A coat protects from the cold and more generally from the outside, but it also shows off its owner’s wealth.

Displayed face to face, the artist’s contemporary sculptures and ancient armour interact with one another and reciprocate their roles – protection and pageantry.