Tegmo and Clément Herrmann: A Fragmented Dialogue

By blending their artistic approaches, Tegmo and Clément Herrmann create hybrid portraits that straddle the line between reflection and representation.

The collaboration between Tegmo and Clément Herrmann employs a unique visual language in which the human figure becomes a space of hybridization, a threshold where the recognizable and the diffracted coexist. In Tegmo’s work, the mirror—far from being a mere reflective surface—becomes architecture, a site of diffraction, a tool for exploration and analysis. In contrast, Clément Herrmann’s painting introduces an expressive face that, subjected to anamorphosis, recomposes or alters itself depending on the angle of view, thereby accentuating the perceptual confusion. From this interplay emerges a shifting image where the gaze shifts between its own reflection and the depicted figure, where introspection, confrontation, and the gaze directed at the other converge. A perceptual interplay that combines technical mastery with reflective power.

What made you want to work together?
Clément Herrmann: The concept of “volume,” which Tegmo has been exploring for a long time, whereas I only came to it more recently, two or three years ago. When he suggested we try our hand at a collaborative piece for a group exhibition at the Cabaret du Chat Noir, I simply replied, “Why not? Let’s give it a try.”
Tegmo: I was familiar with Clément’s work, and when he began working with volume, the idea of a collaboration became obvious. Our artistic languages—reflective fragmentation for one, pictorial decomposition for the other—could engage with one another, even though I’m not drawn to figurative art or hyperrealism. Especially since, on a personal level, the connection already existed.
Clément Herrmann: The “why not” became a given. In early October, during one of my solo exhibitions at the Macha Galerie, we presented our first joint piece.

How would you describe your respective approaches?
Clément Herrmann: Tegmo isn’t a portraitist in the traditional sense, but his shards of mirror reflect the fragmented face of the viewer; it’s another way of approaching portraiture. As for me, I paint faces that gradually break down depending on the viewing angle, through anamorphosis.
Tegmo: What interests me in Clément’s work is the intensity he infuses into his faces. My mirrors, on the other hand, evoke deep introspection. Between his painted fragments and my reflective facets, our approaches meet and merge: reflection and painting composing a hybrid face…
Clément Herrmann: … a double image where two faces coexist within a single work.
Tegmo: Two different languages, but a single focus: the fragmentation of the face and the way it engages our gaze—toward ourselves, toward others, and toward our surroundings.

Is this a long-term collaboration?
Tegmo: Yes, the collaboration is ongoing, though we’ll likely want to explore other directions in a year or two. For now, we’ve created a large piece, a medium-sized work for the Poste du Louvre, and a small series for Les Bombasphères.
Clément Herrmann: We’ll be presenting two new works at the District13 fair in Drouot with Goldshteyn Saatort Gallery. And we’re already thinking about other possibilities, particularly sculptures where our respective assemblages—Tegmo’s mirror structures and my fragments of rigid plastic from objects salvaged off the street—could come together.
Tegmo: We’re creating specific pieces for each event. The collaboration has been going on for about six months, and we’ll see how it evolves.

How did you approach this collaboration?
Tegmo: It went very smoothly. That’s probably because we were already familiar with each other’s work and creative styles.
Clément Herrmann: Exactly, it felt quite natural.
Tegmo: I work with two different techniques: “pleated” and “layered,” and it was the layered approach that worked best with our two artistic worlds.
Clément Herrmann: Indeed, it draws the eye more effectively, multiplying the fractured reflections…
Tegmo: …and aligns more closely with Clément’s work in successive layers.

What is your collaborative creative process?
Tegmo: It all starts with a sketch that we create together on a wooden board. We define the overall shape—rounded in some places, more angular in others—to find the right symmetry and balance. I then cut the board to mentally visualize the arrangement of the facets, since this 2D work cannot capture either the angles of the mirrors or the reflections. I then cut the mirrors with a tungsten wheel, assemble the facets, and solder them together… avoiding straight lines, as a face is naturally asymmetrical. The piece must then dry for about ten days, allowing the oils and acids used for soldering to stabilize. Once the assembly is complete, I hand it off to Clément.
Clément Herrmann: I begin by seeking harmony between the facets that will remain unpainted and those I will paint. Depending on the format, I choose a facial angle—full-face, three-quarter view…—and create a sketch that I overlay onto the photo of the piece displayed on the iPad, to organize the areas to be painted. Once the composition is finalized, I mask off the facets to be preserved and apply paint to the others. First, I apply a coat of spray paint to even out the base, then I start working with acrylics and a brush. Next, I spray on thin layers of spray paint to create that misty effect and blend everything together, before going back to the brush for the details. It’s a constant back-and-forth between acrylic and spray paint.
Tegmo: Fun fact: when I gave the first piece to Clément, I reminded him that I didn’t like figurative art. I put a little pressure on him [laughs]. But I also told him that I liked his work and that I had confidence in him.
Clément Herrmann: And the result is a figurative style that transforms: caught in the mirror fragments, the portrait breaks down and reconfigures itself depending on the viewer’s position. This creates complex works that invite you to spend time with them.
Tegmo: We work in trust: I compose the forms; Clément applies the different layers of paint that interact with the mirror’s raw surface.

How do you approach the presentation of your pieces?
Tegmo: At first, we debated whether to leave the pieces unframed—as I usually do—or to frame them. We ultimately decided to frame the smaller pieces.
Clément Herrmann: Between the mirrors that catch the light and the black frame that further accentuates this effect, the framing gives the pieces a precious quality, like a jewel in its case.
Tegmo: The larger pieces, on the other hand, lend themselves better to an unframed, open, and airy presentation.

What does this collaboration mean to you?
Tegmo: For us, the most important thing is still enjoying the creative process… and we had a blast creating each piece, without knowing how they would be received… In the end, they were well received!
Clément Herrmann: We’re free spirits, and this collaboration was done in the same spirit: without constraints, without certainty, but with a genuine passion.

What have you learned from this collaboration?
Clément Herrmann: I’ve discovered the mirror as a medium—an amazing material, especially when used in portraiture. Without Tegmo’s proposal, I’m not sure I would have taken an interest in it. This collaboration is changing the way I approach the fragmentation of a face, even if I don’t yet have the necessary perspective to fully grasp all the implications.
Tegmo: I really enjoyed picking up the brushes again for the retouching, something I hadn’t done in a long time.

Check out
Tegmo: tegmo.fr
Instagram: @tegmo_

Clément Herrmann: clementherrmann.com
Instagram: @clement.herrmann