Laurence Jenkell’s Wrapping Candies Sculptures: The Art of Happiness Wrapped in Sugar

Colorful, shiny, monumental or miniature, Laurence Jenkell’s candy sculptures have taken over squares, museums, and galleries around the world. Behind these joyful, pop-style creations is a self-taught artist whose sugary universe goes far beyond mere indulgence: it explores themes of childhood, pleasure, globalization, and even geopolitical tensions.

Pop art artist Laurence Jenkell, surrounded by two magnificent wrapping candies in silver and gold—among her most sought-after motifs.

The French artist is taking part in the “HER LAND” exhibition in Dubai, organized by MIA Art Collection in collaboration with the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). Presented at the Dubai Festival City Exhibition from April 18 to May 17, 2025, the exhibition highlights female creativity through the works of women artists from Latin America and beyond. Jenkell is showcasing two iconic sculptures: Wrapping Candy Irisé Radiant and Wrapping Candy Nacré Blues, both made of plexiglass.

Portrait of a singular sculptor—bold and beyond categorization. Laurence Jenkell was born in 1965 in Bourges, France. Nothing in her early life seemed to steer her toward becoming an artist. It was during the 1990s, following a period of deep personal questioning, that she felt an irresistible need to create. With no formal training, she began experimenting on her own at home, exploring various artistic techniques before discovering the material that would change her life: plexiglass.

Through trial and error, Laurence Jenkell developed a technique that would become her signature: she bends, heats, and sculpts plexiglass into the shape of large twisted candies (wrapping). This gesture—unique to her practice—evokes both sweetness and tension and has become emblematic of her entire body of work.

Artist Laurence Jenkell in her studio, crafting her signature candy-shaped sculptures.

A Craft Between Fire and Gesture

The creation of Laurence Jenkell’s famous candy sculptures is based on a precise mastery of plexiglass—particularly its manipulation to achieve the iconic twist. The artist begins by heating the material to a high temperature until it becomes malleable. At this critical stage, she must act quickly: she twists, bends, and shapes the plexiglass sheet, much like one would twist the wrapper of a real candy. This process is entirely manual, without the use of molds, making each piece unique despite the apparent repetition of the motif. That’s the true challenge of her technique. The sculpture is then meticulously polished to achieve the smooth, shiny, and translucent finish that characterizes her work.

Depending on the desired effect, Jenkell may also tint the material beforehand using special inks, or combine plexiglass with other materials such as aluminum or bronze for more imposing pieces. Some of her sculptures have even been carved in marble—this time using a more traditional subtractive method. Beneath the visual lightness and apparent simplicity of her works lies a demanding technique requiring strength, speed, and precision.

The Candy: A Universal Icon

Why candy? For Jenkell, a candy is far more than a sweet treat—it is a universal symbol, accessible to all, filled with memory, pleasure, and nostalgia. It evokes the innocence of childhood, but also temptation, consumerism, and seduction. Through it, the artist explores the duality between apparent lightness and emotional depth.

Each of Laurence Jenkell’s candy sculptures is carefully crafted, regardless of its size: perfect shapes, vibrant colors or metallic effects, and hypnotic reflections. Some of her candies reach several meters in height, transforming public spaces into surreal, oversized candy showcases.

Silver Candy, Chrome – Wrapping Candy Silver offered by Class Art Gallery in Biarritz. For more information, the gallery presents a wide selection of Laurence Jenkell’s works—available in various sizes, colors, and materials. All of Jenkell’s pieces come with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.

Between Pop Art and Conceptual Art

Rooted in the Pop Art tradition, Laurence Jenkell shares with artists like Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons the idea of elevating everyday objects to the status of art. But her work goes beyond pure aesthetics. Through her Wrapped Candies, she explores contemporary themes such as globalization, mass culture, and collective desires.

In 2018, the French artist presented her exhibition Candy Nations in New York, turning Broadway into an open-air gallery. From October 3 to December 9, twenty monumental candy sculptures—each standing 2.7 meters tall and weighing 658 kilograms—were installed between 36th and 39th Streets in the Garment District. Each sculpture, made of polyester resin, bore the national colors of a G20 country, symbolizing unity and cultural diversity.

Originally created for the G20 Summit in Cannes in 2011, these sculptures toured the world before arriving in New York. Alongside the outdoor exhibition, a complementary installation titled Crossroads of the World was presented at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, featuring 30 additional sculptures and 80 more works. Among them was a special candy paying tribute to the 37 Port Authority officers who died during the 9/11 attacks.

Candy Nations offered New Yorkers an immersive artistic experience—celebrating peace and diversity through playful, colorful forms.

The Candy Nations series by Laurence Jenkell, exhibited in New York in 2018.

With humor and subtlety, pop artist Laurence Jenkell transforms a seemingly insignificant object into a powerful metaphor for our times.

International Recognition Laurence Jenkell’s work quickly met with resounding success. Her sculptures have been exhibited in museums, galleries, and public spaces all over the world—from New York to Hong Kong, Dubai to London. Some of her monumental pieces now adorn luxury hotels, airports, and even the headquarters of international institutions.

Her works have been acquired not only by private collectors but also by public institutions. In 2019, a giant candy sculpture in the colors of the French flag was installed at the French Embassy in Washington, symbolizing Franco-American friendship.

Thanks to her instantly recognizable style and universally accessible message, Laurence Jenkell has become a key figure in contemporary pop and monumental art.

Variations on Wrapping

Although candy remains her signature motif, Laurence Jenkell continues to reinvent it through different shapes and materials: bronze, aluminum, marble, crystal. She has also developed other series that play with transparency, mirror effects, and color fusion.

At times, her candies become carriers of additional messages—text prints, symbols, urban motifs. They evolve into totems, visual manifestos where sugary pleasure gives way to deeper reflection.

Through these endless variations, Jenkell confirms her ability to evolve while remaining true to her foundational gesture: the twisting of plexiglass—the movement that breathes life into her material. Conclusion: The Art of Capturing a Moment of Wonder

Laurence Jenkell has succeeded in creating a universal artistic language—one of rediscovered childhood, vivid color, and instant delight. But beneath the apparent lightness of her sculptures, she invites us to reflect on the contradictions of contemporary society: between consumerism and the search for authenticity.

By offering the world her monumental candy sculptures, Laurence Jenkell holds up a sugar-coated mirror—an invitation to savor life, while keeping a clear-eyed view of its complexities.