Chanel Kapitanj approaches metal not as a neutral material, but as something with resistance, memory and character.
Based in Sambreville, Belgium, she works primarily with brass, steel and copper, shaping each piece by hand through bending, welding, assembly and experimental surface treatments. The traces of these processes remain visible: textures, irregularities and marks are not concealed, but become part of the final object.
Since founding her studio in 2017, Kapitanj has developed a practice rooted in collectible design and fine craft. Her pieces often begin with sketches, yet the making process remains deliberately open, allowing the behaviour of the metal to influence the final form. The resulting works combine structural clarity with a more instinctive, tactile quality.
Conceived as functional sculptures, the objects are produced in extremely limited quantities, with most existing as unique pieces. Each is made from scratch in her Sambreville workshop, signed individually, and shaped through a process that makes variation inseparable from the work itself.
Selected exhibitions with SM Bureau
Silent Structures, Paris, 2026
Available works upon request.
