In a candid conversation, Luxembourg artist Chantal Maquet reflects on her experience with cancer and how it shaped the three deeply personal works she submitted to the Artistic Circle of Luxembourg (CAL) Salon, one of which earned her the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe 2025.
After more than an hour of lively conversation, Chantal Maquet suddenly says something that cuts through the air: "I have cancer." The words fall unexpectedly: stark, disarming, and leaving her listener unsure how to respond. But Maquet insists on saying it now, because her illness is inseparable from the three works she has submitted to this year's Artistic Circle of Luxembourg (CAL) Salon, on display at the Tramsschapp cultural centre in Luxembourg City until 16 November.
Background
Born in 1982 in Colmar-Berg, Maquet studied graphic design and illustration in Hamburg, where she realised she wanted to be a fine artist rather than a commercial illustrator. She says that as an illustrator, one fulfils a commission, but as an artist, one creates from oneself.
She accepted the precariousness of that choice, emphasising that she had no salary and no paid holidays, but she embraced the freedom it brought. She compares it to gliding in a sailplane, as one always has to watch how far one can go. She says that it has paid off so far, but that there is no guarantee.
Maquet fell in love with Hamburg straight after finishing school and has lived there ever since. Yet she maintains close ties with Luxembourg, returning regularly for exhibitions and projects. She notes how much the country's art scene has evolved in the past two decades and praises its growing diversity and openness.
Three works, one story
For the CAL Salon, artists must present three pieces, and Maquet's could hardly be more different, yet all are intimately connected to her experience with cancer.
One piece is a series of four self-portraits showing her at different stages of the illness: before diagnosis, shortly after, during treatment, and after recovery.
Another is a framed intravenous port, a stark readymade object representing both survival and cost, titled 23112023–22052025, a reference to the dates of her chemotherapy. She notes that its symbolic price equals exactly the amount billed to her health insurance, highlighting how the meaning of money shifts when measured against health.
The third work is a nine-minute video, titled 'just listen', which intimately explores her personal transformation through illness and how those around her often struggled to respond.
Together, the three artworks are about a single fate, or three creations to process that fate.
A prize-winning testimony
Maquet's 'just listen' earned her the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe 2025, awarded unanimously by the CAL jury. In its statement, the committee said it was deeply moved by the poignancy of the video, which confronts the viewer with the human experience of illness in all its stages.
Maquet explains that she chose the title 'just listen' because, throughout her illness, the most meaningful support came from those who simply listened, without trying to comfort, rationalise, or explain. By sharing this work, she hopes to encourage greater empathy, especially in times of crisis.
Maquet is quick to clarify that her subject is not cancer itself, but how people react to it. She says the works are about the shared discomfort, the awkwardness, and the effort to help even when one does not know how. Rather than a rupture in her artistic approach, she sees them as a continuation of her usual focus on human relationships, stating that her art has always been about people and how they connect.
Art, identity, and responsibility
On her website, Maquet describes herself as a feminist and anti-racist artist. A few years ago, she published a graphic novel on racism, colonialism, and discrimination, which includes a self-reflective test asking readers, "Are you racist?". The book aims to spark understanding, self-questioning, and ideas for living together more consciously.
At first glance, Maquet might seem more activist than artist, perhaps even militant, but in conversation, it becomes clear that her engagement stems from introspection rather than confrontation. She admits that she does not always live up to her ideals but believes in learning from mistakes.
Still, she believes mistakes are part of the learning process and argues for a culture that embraces them as opportunities for growth rather than reasons for lasting guilt. In her view, what matters most is moving forward.
For Maquet, her identity is inseparable from her artistic work. This constructive philosophy guides both her social outlook and her response to illness: by transforming her diagnosis into art, she turns vulnerability into creative strength.
Despite the gravity of her themes, Maquet remains upbeat, warm, and humorous: chatting easily, laughing, and doting on her terrier Diego as he scampers through the colourful chaos of her studio.
Expressive colours and human stories
Colour is one of Maquet's signatures. Her paintings, often inspired by old black-and-white photographs, burst with vibrant hues that reinterpret relationships between people. She loves visiting flea markets on her travels, where she sees stories hidden in discarded photos, which she brings to life through bold, emotional colour rather than literal representation, she says.
She also paints live portraits of strangers from her current neighbourhood in Hamburg, spending an hour talking and painting at the same time. She says that no sitter has ever left on bad terms, adding that it is wonderful to connect with people outside of her usual circle.
Multidisciplinary spirit
Her studio reflects her multidisciplinary spirit: alongside paintbrushes and canvases are wires, tools, and audio equipment. In addition to painting, she creates interactive sound installations, exploring how people behave and engage with art. One such work reacted to the movements of visitors, examining "behaviour".
For Maquet, art can create connection, evoke deep emotion, touch people, and help us recognise what truly matters, especially in turbulent times.
She has just come through one of those turbulent times herself. The pieces she created for the CAL Salon are her way of facing that experience and sharing it with others. As she puts it, gently but firmly revisiting her earlier statement: "The three works I'm showing all deal with the same theme, that I have, or rather had, cancer."
Practical information
The CAL Salon runs until 16 November 2025 at the Tramsschapp, 49 rue Ermesinde, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg. Visitors can attend on the following dates:
Sunday, 9 November: 10am to 7pm
Monday 10–Friday 14 November: 2pm to 7pm
Saturday, 15 November: 10am to 7pm
Sunday, 16 November: 10am to 5pm
From 9 to 11 January 2026, Chantal Maquet will exhibit at Studio 45, Künstler*innenhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg. Later in 2026, a monographic exhibition dedicated to the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe 2025 laureate will take place at Galerie Schlassgoart in Esch-sur-Alzette.
