Gold predates the solar system: indestructible, unalterable, it is assigned the highest value on Earth. Wood, ubiquitous, is unevenly valued—often overlooked. Yet on a cosmic scale, gold exists in astronomical quantities, while wood is a miracle in itself an absolute rarity.Fungi slowly digested rock, producing the soil from which plants emerged. Deep within the ear, small mineral stones, otoliths, make balance possible. Coral was once solitary. I often think of Ötzi.

Bernier/Eliades Gallery is pleased to present QUALIA, the third solo exhibition by French artist Martin Belou. The opening will take place on 16 April, from 17:00 to 21:00, in the presence of the artist. The exhibition runs through 4 July.

Belou’s practice unfolds through immersive installations, objects, and sculptures that engage closely with their environment. Working at the intersection of form, material, and perception, he activates both physical and atmospheric elements—architecture, functional objects, light, steam, scent—to extend the conditions of experience.

With QUALIA, Belou turns toward the subjective and internal dimensions of perception. Borrowed from philosophy, the term refers to the irreducible qualities of lived experience—the way things are felt, sensed, and apprehended individually. The exhibition takes shape as a perceptual environment in which materials and forms act as vectors for these elusive phenomena.Rather than illustrating this idea, Belou constructs an environment in which perception itself becomes the medium.

Drawing from heterogeneous sources—found objects, organic fragments, and studio-produced elements—Belou composes a precise yet open-ended visual language. Recurrent shapes and motifs establish subtle correspondences between works and their surroundings, destabilizing distinctions between object and milieu, presence and sensation.

Martin Belou (b. 1986, France) lives and works in Marseille. He graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Clermont Métropole in 2009. His work develops a sculptural vocabulary that articulates a poetic inquiry into how humans inhabit and perceive their environment. He has presented solo exhibitions at Bernier/Eliades Gallery (Brussels, Athens), Sans Titre (Paris), and Catherine Issert (Saint Paul de Vence) among others. His work has also been included in major group exhibitions at Palais de Tokyo and Bozar.