Antoine Poncet (1928–2022) was a French-Swiss abstract sculptor whose work is rooted in the tradition of Jean Arp and Constantin Brancusi. Born in Paris on May 5, 1928, into an artistic family, he began studying sculpture in his teens and later trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne. In Paris he studied with Ossip Zadkine and worked closely with Jean Arp from 1953 to 1955, an experience that profoundly shaped his approach to form and abstraction.

Poncet’s work draws inspiration from natural and organic forms, distilled into harmonious, flowing shapes that emphasize balance, movement, and the interplay of light and surface. He believed that movement and equilibrium were essential to sculpture, creating pieces that often appear poised between motion and stillness. His sculptures in marble, bronze, and plaster reflect a refined sensibility and a rigorous understanding of material, echoing the organic abstractions of his mentors while expressing his own sculptural voice.

Throughout his career, Poncet exhibited internationally, participated in major exhibitions including the Venice Biennale, and received significant awards such as the Prix André Susse and the Henry Moore Prize. His work is held in major collections and public spaces around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He passed away on August 13, 2022, leaving behind a legacy as one of the leading post-war sculptors to bridge organic abstraction and modernist form.

Poncet believes that movement is essential in good sculpture, and he strives for a breathless balance in his work, so that as you look at it, you feel that with a gentle push, the piece would fall. As Poncet explained:

The movement is essential in my quest. Everything is moving in nature, in life. We must go all the way, trying to search the balance. Maintaining this balance is essential for the sculpture…