Female figures, unconventional materials, rich textures and compositions filled with meaning: with her exhibition “Femmes en espace décalé” (Women in a Different Space), visual artist Silva Usta transforms Chabada Coiffure in Nice into an unexpected setting for contemporary art. Through a distinctive visual language combining artistic experimentation, memory and identity, she invites visitors to explore the many dimensions of femininity.
Art does not always need a traditional gallery to find its audience. In Nice, artist Silva Usta has chosen an original setting for her latest exhibition: Chabada Coiffure, located at 5 rue Martin Seytour. Hosted by Daly, the salon’s owner, the exhibition brings together two worlds that naturally share an interest in beauty, personal expression and the way we see ourselves.
Running from 5 November to 31 December 2026, “Femmes en espace décalé” offers visitors an opportunity to discover Silva Usta’s artistic universe in an everyday setting. Rather than presenting her work in a conventional exhibition space, the artist’s creations become part of a living environment, inviting visitors to pause, observe and engage with art in a different way.
An Artistic Universe Shaped by Materials, Textures and Contrasts
Silva Usta’s artistic practice cannot be confined to a single medium. Her work moves freely between drawing, painting, collage, mosaic, sculpture, installations and performance.
She explores the expressive possibilities of different materials, including reclaimed leather, textiles, tulle, glass and repurposed objects. Through assembling, transforming, engraving and reinterpreting these elements, she creates compositions in which texture and material play a central role.
In her work, materials are never simply decorative. Their surfaces, imperfections, transparency and relief become part of the artistic narrative. Each element contributes to the atmosphere and meaning of the composition.
Her early training in jewellery-making has influenced this particular sensitivity to detail. It has shaped her approach to surfaces, textures and unexpected combinations, giving her work a distinctive relationship with craftsmanship and material experimentation.
The result is a visual universe that moves between different artistic disciplines, combining graphic expression, tactile exploration and sculptural forms.
“Femmes en espace décalé”: Exploring the Many Faces of Womanhood
At the heart of the exhibition is the representation of women. However, Silva Usta does not seek to define femininity through a single image or ideal. Instead, she explores its diversity, complexity, strength and contradictions.
Her creations invite viewers to reconsider familiar representations of the female body and question the way women are seen, remembered and represented throughout society.
Some works pay tribute to artists, writers, dancers and thinkers who have shaped their time. Others draw attention to anonymous women whose personal journeys, experiences and struggles also deserve recognition.
The female body becomes more than a visual subject. It becomes a space of expression, carrying memories, emotions, experiences and individual stories.
Through her compositions, Silva Usta encourages a different perspective: women are not simply aesthetic figures, but individuals with their own identities, histories and freedom.
The exhibition’s accompanying statement captures this approach: “The female body is not an object of the gaze. It is a territory of memory, desire, freedom and creation.”
When Materials Become Part of the Story
One of the most distinctive aspects of Silva Usta’s work is her ability to give materials a new purpose and meaning.
Reclaimed leather, textiles and repurposed objects become artistic elements in their own right. Drawing on transparent rhodoid sheets, engraving on recycled leather, collage and sculpture allow her to experiment with shapes, layers and textures.
Each technique opens up new creative possibilities, while every material brings its own character and visual presence.
This diversity is central to her artistic identity. Her creations exist at the intersection of several disciplines, combining graphic expression, tactile research and sculptural experimentation.
The transformation of everyday materials also introduces another dimension to her work. Elements that might otherwise be overlooked are given a new life within an artistic composition. In this way, the material itself becomes part of the story being told.
Chabada Coiffure: An Unexpected Setting for Contemporary Art
The choice of venue gives this exhibition an additional dimension. Through the initiative of Daly, Chabada Coiffure opens its doors to contemporary art, offering an alternative to the traditional gallery experience.
A hair salon is already a place associated with appearance, beauty and self-expression. By welcoming Silva Usta’s creations, it creates a natural dialogue between artistic expression and everyday life.
The works become part of an environment where visitors can encounter art in an informal and accessible way. Rather than requiring a visit to a museum or gallery, the exhibition brings contemporary creation directly into a familiar neighbourhood setting.
This approach also gives the artist an opportunity to reach a wider audience, encourage curiosity and create conversations around her work.
Chabada Coiffure therefore becomes more than a place dedicated to hair and beauty. For the duration of the exhibition, it takes on a cultural role, bringing together creativity, local life and artistic discovery.
It is a reminder that art can find its place in unexpected surroundings and that everyday spaces can become meaningful places for cultural encounters.
Silva Usta: An Artistic Journey Between Cultures
Born in Istanbul, of Armenian origin, Silva Usta has lived in Nice since 1980. Her personal journey has been shaped by different cultural influences and artistic experiences.
After growing up in Istanbul until the age of fifteen, she moved to France and trained as a jewellery maker in Strasbourg. Following her arrival in Nice, she continued developing her artistic practice, attending courses at the Villa Thiole Municipal School of Visual Arts.
Since the early 2000s, she has devoted herself fully to artistic creation in her Nice studio.
Over more than two decades, her work has been presented in France and internationally. Her exhibition history includes venues such as Galerie Depardieu, Galerie Eva Vautier and the Museum of Naïve Art in Nice, as well as artistic events in Belgium, Italy and Turkey.
Her creative universe also explores broader human and social themes, including women’s rights, pioneering women, poets and activists, the memory of the Armenian Genocide, migration, exile, freedom and human dignity.
These subjects bring a deeply personal and human dimension to her work, connecting individual experiences with collective memory.
Discovering Art Beyond Traditional Exhibition Spaces
By bringing her work to Chabada Coiffure, Silva Usta offers visitors a different way to experience contemporary art in Nice.
“Femmes en espace décalé” brings together artistic experimentation, an exploration of materials and a reflection on women’s identities and stories. The exhibition’s setting adds another layer to this experience, allowing the creations to interact with a familiar place and its visitors.
Until 31 December 2026, the exhibition offers an opportunity to discover an artist whose work is driven by curiosity, freedom of expression and a distinctive relationship with materials.
A meeting between art and everyday life, where the unexpected setting becomes part of the artistic experience.
Exhibition Information
- Exhibition: “Femmes en espace décalé” – Silva Usta
- Dates: 5 November – 31 December 2026
- Venue: Chabada Coiffure
- Address: 5 rue Martin Seytour, 06000 Nice, France
- Telephone: +33 6 61 32 07 56
- Email: contact@silvausta.com
- Artist’s website: www.silvausta.com
