It all began at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where Jean-Marie and Marthe Simonnet met while studying architecture. Graduating in 1970, they chose to unite their lives and their artistic visions, devoting themselves entirely to the creation of sculptures, paintings, outdoor children’s play equipment, and monumental kites. For the Simonnets, art cannot be separated from the joy of making—it is in the act of creation itself, in the touch of the material, that their inspiration takes flight.

Faithful to the technology of reinforced plastics, which they mastered with patience and precision, they explored its endless possibilities. This choice was no accident; it was driven by both technical and economic reasons. Reinforced plastics allowed them to craft shells and envelopes rather than solid volumes, offering unparalleled lightness and formal freedom. This approach enabled them to design and produce their works independently, before any commission, avoiding the accumulation of plaster molds and maintaining full control over production costs. This autonomy granted them a rare freedom—the freedom to create without constraints, outside the traditional circuits of the art world.

Yet beyond technique, it is a philosophy of integrated art that guides their work. The Simonnets wanted their creations to engage with everyday life, to become part of the lives of their contemporaries. Their curiosity led them to explore diverse fields such as architecture, urban furniture, and children’s play structures. Their works were never meant to be confined to galleries; they were designed to live outdoors, to be touched, used, and embraced. Whether through public sculptures, colorful playgrounds, or giant kites soaring in the sky, their art is generous, accessible, and joyful.

For over fifty years, Jean-Marie and Marthe Simonnet have carved out a unique path in the French artistic landscape. Their story is one of a couple who turned art into a shared adventure, where creation is inseparable from the pleasure of making, and where each work carries the mark of hard-won freedom—the freedom to shape the world in their own image, with boldness and poetry.