For renowned French contemporary sculptor Laurence Jenkell, establishing an ephemeral concept store on the Croisette in Cannes marks a profound full-circle moment. Running from early May through to 31st October, the extensive 400-square-metre pop-up represents the first time the artist has been able to assemble such a vast concentration of her works under a single roof. 

For Jenkell, who arrived in Cannes at the age of 20 and previously worked just next door at the legendary Carlton Hotel, the location carries deep personal resonance. 

Run closely alongside her daughter, Kelly De Clercq, and dedicated assistants, the concept store operates within a welcoming, family-style ecosystem. As Kelly explained to Monaco Life during an exclusive tour of the store, acquiring one of her mother’s sculptures goes far beyond simple decoration: “When you buy a work of art, you buy a part of the artist’s life. For me, it is really essential to know her history, because we can truly understand the deeper meaning behind why she chose to create a specific piece in that exact way”.

Rather than competing with international galleries like the Opera Gallery, which frequently showcases her pieces globally, this temporary space fosters intimate, direct exchanges with both seasoned collectors and newcomers discovering her iconic style for the first time.

From family to fame: The origin of the name Jenkell

Behind the vibrant colours and oversized wrappers lies a deeply personal choice of identity. Early in her career, Laurence made the decision to adopt a singular artistic pseudonym, signing her sculptures simply as Jenkell. This distinctive name is actually a creative blend born from the names of her daughters, Jenny and Kelly, bringing her family history directly into her art.

Dropping her first name allowed her to establish a memorable, unified presence in the global contemporary art world, turning a name rooted in motherhood into a globally recognised symbol of modern pop art.

From kitchen remnants to global iconography 

Jenkell’s signature candy sculptures trace their origins back to a simple childhood restriction. Because her mother disliked commercial sweets and chemical additives, young Laurence was rarely allowed store-bought candies, instead watching her mother melt sugar into pans and cool it onto spoons. Decades later, while raising her own daughters and growing frustrated with constant sweet consumption around the house, Jenkell decided to take their bonbons, melt them in the oven, and add resin.

When studio ants began invading her sugary compositions, she improvised with protective plexiglass boxes. This sparked a revolutionary material breakthrough. Around 25 to 30 years ago, she began experimenting with putting small pieces of plexiglass into the oven. Wearing protective gloves against the intense heat, she modelled the material into a spiral configuration.

As the artist said: “I had no idea what was going to come out of it… I just made one twist on the left, another twist on the right and I thought, ‘this looks amazing, it looks like a bonbon’!”

This foundational shape quickly expanded into diverse series. As Kelly explained, each collection shows a new part of the artist’s journey. The Twist Collection focuses on the core torsion of packaging, elevating the simple wrapper into the primary artistic subject. The DNA Collection evolved naturally when Jenkell noticed that combining two spirals creates a double-helix structure resembling genetic DNA. The Butterfly Collection introduced weightless, dreamy wings to offer a sense of oxygen and lightness after the heavy physical labor of twisting complex spirals. 

Additionally, her Robot and Light Sculptures feature intricate, manually cut geometric shapes and purple LED lighting built to pay tribute to her grandfather, who frequently envisioned a robot-filled future. Meanwhile, the Bittersweet Collection incorporates everyday objects like coffee percolators, refrigerators, and trash cans crafted from aluminum and bronze to comment on consumerism, poaching, and heavy water consumption.

An immersive experience and interactive workshops 

Unlike traditional white-cube museums or silent galleries where children are often discouraged from speaking loudly, Jenkell’s concept store invites multi-generational engagement. Reflecting on her own childhood museum visits, Kelly said: “Let’s be honest, growing up I was bored to death in museums – there was no colour, and we weren’t even allowed to run.” 

At the Croisette space, children enter wide-eyed, examining oversized candy sculptures, and even contributing directly to community projects.

The collaborative spirit extends directly to specialised creative workshops hosted at her permanent creation workshop in Valbonne and during gallery sessions. Participants receive a transparent plexiglass plate to paint and decorate under guidance. Jenkell then transforms the plate under their eyes, shaping it into a signature 40-centimetre four-handed sculpture complete with a signed certificate of authenticity.

These interactive sessions have quickly evolved into deeply personal experiences that go far beyond standard gallery visits. As Kelly explains, visitors have the unique opportunity to personalise the candies by embedding different meaningful objects inside them before they are cast. “You can put whatever you want inside,” Kelly said, highlighting how collectors can customise the sculptures with personal tokens or keepsakes. This custom approach has led to unforgettable moments, with upcoming workshops even featuring a romantic marriage proposal where a custom candy is crafted specifically to conceal an engagement ring.

Shared moments and sweet intentions: Sharing good vibes with the world

Visitors to the ongoing exhibition can also participate in an interactive installation where they unwrap a real candy, enjoy a tasting, and write a personal message to slip inside a collaborative artwork. The completed collaborative canvas will be auctioned off on 31st October, with all proceeds donated directly to a children’s charity association. 

Whether crafting custom corporate golf trophies for the Ryder Cup, creating personalised memory capsules filled with children’s memories, or displaying historical pieces from the early 2000s, Laurence Jenkell continues to share her vibrant energy with the world. 

As the artist concluded: “Everybody needs a bonbon in life… it’s all very positive, gives you good vibes and great energy, and you just want to spread it all over the world”.

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Laurence Jenkell’s pop-up store on the Croisette. Photo credit: Virginia D’Umas, Monaco Life