On request from the Société d’Encouragement des Métiers d’Art, the Credoc did a study on the consumer expectations for products produced by the art trades. “The art trades’ image is very positive,” affirms Robert Rochefort, managing director of the research institute. Occasional buyers are “motivated by the emotion they feel and the desire to stand apart from others.” Regular buyers stress “the search for a personalized answer to consumption needs.” As a result, “there is a strong potential for developing sales to non-buyers and occasional buyers.” But it will be necessary to resolve the “recognition problem” and boost consumer trust in the technical and artistic ability of art trade professionals in order to expand the clientele. The creation of a new official register for the art trades will allow consumers to safely choose creations and services produced through artisans’ know-how.
french decor
DECOR ECHOES
Planika lights inner flames
now! design à vivre (hall 7)
No smell, no smoke. No wood troubles, but rather pretty, dancing flames and a convivial warmth without a chimney or exhaust pipe. That is the appealing proposal from the company Planika Fires, which develops mobile fireplaces with contemporary lines that can adapt to all kinds of interiors. The Polish company has banked on research and development to perfect cutting-edge technologies using Fanola organic fuel combustion and pure ethanol in a patented burner, while putting the emphasis on the quality of the flames and the safety of its system. While the “Concept” line aims to attract the general public with appealing products and prices, the “Architect Line” meets the specific needs of specifiers for public spaces. The “Digi-Fire” range offers larger-sized pieces equipped with an exclusive remote control system which allows the user to light the system and adjust the flames as needed. The French designer Christophe Pillet has created several models with simple lines in fine materials that will be presented at the show and throughout the year. For the creator, fire is considered “a piece of furniture with all the freedom that allows.” And all in the “clearly contemporary world” that is his trademark.
LunaticConstruction’s Primitive Design
now! design à vivre (hall 7)
Thierry Nahon and Philippe Landecker have invented a contemporary design game. Their LunaBlocks draw their inspiration from children’s building blocks. Transposed into the world of decoration, these fitted modules play with subversion and the oversized, morphing into design objects, structures, furniture or lighting. The four basic modules can be put together to invent new architectural configurations and the construction of all kinds of furniture. “We are not selling finished objects. We offer a range of materials and colors that enrich the range of possibilities. Decorators as well as private individuals can appropriate the concept, adapting it to their needs,” announces Thierry Nahon, a former film producer, director and co-founder of LunaticConstruction. LunaBlocks are already available in acrylic glass, metal, ultra-light concrete and expanded polypropylene, with a glossy effect like Chinese lacquer. These explorers of materials and forms plan to look into new territories such as designing LunaBlocks in a biodegradable material made from potato flour. Their objective? “Producing sustainable design that can be infinitely reused depending on its functions.” Thierry Nahon evokes the concept of “primitive design” in describing his products, which respond “to the ancestral need to construct one’s house and build one’s furniture in a new approach to modulable, constructible space, with complete freedom of expression and invention.”
Paul Louis Duranton’s ecosculptures cultivate nature at home
scènes d'intérieur (hall 5B/5C)
Installing rocky mountains and waterfalls in your living room, or archipelagos or volcanic islands with mossy underbrush…? Yes, it can be done. Paul Louis Duranton’s striking ecosculptures bring together minerals, water, fauna and flora in a balanced ecosystem, just like in nature. “I am not trying to reproduce the natural world. I fully admit to its artificial nature. This staging of nature is a living work. I wanted to break the barriers between fields such as horticulture, aquariophilia, bonzai cultivation, the plastic arts and design,” explains the trained oceanographer, who started out designing aquarium-scapes before perfecting this inventive concept, which mixes the living and the aesthetic. I try to create forms where humans find their place in the ecosystem. Rocky ledges can be transformed into sofas or be fitted with drawers and shelves.” Paul Louis Duranton’s living creations have taken their place in businesses such as Total and the tour operator Switch. For the Maison de la Nouvelle-Calédonie in Paris, this uncommon creator has reinvented the lagoon and the Great Barrier Reef.
Verre l’Essentiel breathes light
MAISON&OBJET (L’espace - hall 4)
In homage to glass and light, Gwendoline Bonnet and Philippa Martin went right ahead and constructed their own fusion ovens. This was in Hyères in June 2007; the glassworkers and blowers created their business, Verre l’Essentiel. In their gallery workshop, the artists, artisans and designers produce and display their sculptural pieces. “We each had a very different yet complementary vision, and we said, ‘Why not us?’,” explains Gwendoline Bonnet. Educated in England, the former student of Christian Ghion imagines unique pieces with precious filigree work and murines in a “modern Baroque” spirit inspired by the art of stained glass. Works by the British Philippa Martin magnify color. “When glass solidifies, it’s a freeze-frame of life itself.” Minimalist or extravagant, their creations cut to the chase – that is, the desire to “discover, create and share” their passion for glass.
Charade creates a textile collection for the show D&Co
The French company Charade, a subsidiary of the Chaulnes Textiles Industrie group’s home division, has put its know-how to work for television channel M6, creating the brand D&Co, after the success of that television phenomenon, devoted to interior decoration makeovers, presented by Valérie Damidot. “You don’t improvise licensed production. With nearly 600 references, a 26,000 m² logistical warehouse and long-standing expertise in home linens and licenses, our trade consists in creating decorative worlds,” explains Alexandre Vignon, head of CTI’s Home division, which will propose four lines a year, distributed as the D&Co brand with special graphics. Charade also plans to expand its offer by presenting cushions, curtains, footstools, rugs, etc. “We would like to have a presence in every room and respond to all different tastes, such as family home style, ethnic atmospheres and a more urban tone. We project getting involved in non-textile categories such as candles and candle holders.” All while looking into establishing other licenses.
CaraColo’s other Africa
MAISON&OBJET (Ethnic Chic - hall 1)
Fascinated by the wealth of African know-how and the paucity of its materials, Dominique Barbe is a staunch defender of the virtues of the hand-made and the cosmopolitan. This self-taught designer, who feels she is as much a Parisian as an African, after having lived for 15 years in Senegal, is a “world citizen.” “I take what is good from each culture. I believe in mixing things up, and I don’t like being pigeon-holed.” In 2000, the intrepid creator opened her workshop in Dakar, where her production company employs 17 people. “The word CaraColo is a reference to the verb ‘caracoler’ (to romp) and my desire to go freely, as I want, depending on my inspirations and emotions.” Metal has become her favored material for creating furniture with contrasting forms. “I work with all different materials, but metal, that completely malleable material, fascinates me. It has a presence, a soul.” The different moments of the day became a source of inspiration for her Now line of furniture. “I like sculpture furniture that creates a scene all by itself.” Eclecticism is the word of the day, matched with emotion and humor, as can be seen in her unique pieces or limited series, which she presents in her new Paris showroom, run by her son Julien.
Lip watches in a time of design
now! design à vivre (hall 7)
Nostalgia for the 1970s did a lot of good for the famous French watch brand Lip. Models designed by Roger Tallon, Isabelle Hebey and Prisca Briquet are now sold in prestigious spots such as the MoMA boutique in New York, Printemps Design and Sentou in Paris. “And even in a gallery in Hong Kong,” enthuses Kevin Carrière, export sales manager for the watch brand. Founded in 1897, its heyday was in the 1960s, before it became a symbol of class struggle in 1973, and then went bankrupt in late 1976 with great loss and turmoil. Now, with annual growth of 30 to 40%, Lip’s design range has already reached the million euro turnover benchmark. Good news for the Manufacture Générale Horlogère, the current owners of the phoenix-like brand, which has delved into the archives in order to re-edit cult models or update emblematic watches. In 2007, the elegant watch designed by François de Baschmakoff benefited from new technology, which allows the wearer to change watch bands quickly. Roger Tallon’s Mach 2000 adopted a rubber watch band. “Products with a history, with a strong visual identity, that are out-of-synch with the codes of the market, which will allow us to pursue the brand’s progressive international presence; it is currently distributed in some ten countries, notably in Japan, where it has seen important growth.”
Bineau by Cendrine Dominguez: a concept store for learning
The decoration chain Bineau has given Cendrine Dominguez the mission of designing a concept store. “I like the idea of a store where you can work hand in hand with clients without imposing a style or an idea of good taste,” explains the brand’s ambassador and art director of the new store Bineau by Cendrine Dominguez. Her source of inspiration? The wonderful store ABC Carpets in New York. “In order to purchase well, you have to learn to marry colors, materials and graphics. We must eradicate the fear of making a mistake, while increasing clients’ knowledge. These trend spaces should facilitate access to decoration. In our world of ‘hyper-diversion’, we must create moments of surprise and help consumers go from the desire to the purchase itself.” The concept store will present a specific selection of products, and three times a year, corners devoted to trends. The first space will help discover the subtleties of grey. “How to use the ‘new black’, how to showcase grey.” To make decoration accessible to all, the store will offer free coaching based on projects brought in by the client. Cendrine Dominguez does not exclude foreseeing special editions “with fabric editors or ceramicists”.
Maryam Mahdavi’s emotional furniture
scènes d'intérieur (hall 5B/5C)
Maryam Mahdavi’s creations have gone through the looking glass into Wonderland. Like the “sitting on a cloud” chair, the Medusa table with its strange legs, or the mercury mirror in which you don’t see your reflection. “I live in a child’s world, somewhere between dreams and nightmares, both wondrous and monstrous, where words become images and take shape.” For this native Iranian, who now lives in Paris, “emotional furniture” evokes a metaphor for exile. “These are stories I feel, which take shape. Like looking for new roots, my creations start from the ground up and climb the walls. The furniture gives an impression of leaving, of still being in a state of transformation, ready to run. Everything is evolving. I rewrite a story in which furniture pieces become characters,” explains the graduate of the Esmod school and the Ecole du Louvre, a former fashion stylist converted to the decorative arts. It is a highly personal world that does not take itself too seriously, but which dazzles and astonishes.
Terre Exotique spices up everyday life
MAISON&OBJET (La table - Hall 3)
Truffle or green-tea sea salt; smoked white pepper; a loaf of Bolivian cane sugar to grate onto desserts; apple, cinnamon and rose petal floral water… Erwann de Kerros’s gourmet finds are mouthwatering. The founder of Terre Exotique travels the world to bring back faraway tastes, such as a delicious “Trapper’s mix” from Canada which combines maple sugar chips, salt, garlic, onion, hot red pepper, pepper and coriander. The son of a diplomat, De Kerros tracks down striking salt from all over the world: Australia, Hawaii, Kashmir, Washington… Nearly 30 different salts to take your taste buds on a far-ranging journey. “Curiosity about new tastes is booming. The fine foods market is growing by leaps and bounds,” enthuses the businessman. It was on his sugar plantation in Cameroon that he discovered the gourmet virtues of white Penja pepper. Back in Touraine, the former pineapple and exotic fruit importer became the ambassador of rare spices for restaurants and fine foods stores. Le Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayette, as well as the famous Dean & DeLuca, adopted the brand, with its 200 references. With annual growth of nearly 30%, the spice explorer plans to increase his international presence while developing his range with cocoas and perfumed oils, as well as new packaging for his bulk spice range for restaurants.
Atelier Prométhée edits the RMN’s terra cotta vases
MAISON&OBJET (hall 4)
For the first time, the Réunion des Musées Nationaux has licensed something to an artisan. The latter being Atelier Prométhée, the eminent supplier of national museums, which has taken on the challenge of giving an overview of 1500 years of the history of ornamentation through a sumptuous collection of five sublime terra cotta vases drawn from the Louvre’s collections. “We had to overcome not only cultural barriers, but also create the molds for those masterpieces of garden art,” evokes Cédric Riou, founder of the exceptional workshop. The ornaments can decorate gardens or refined interiors. “And we made sure to offer architect and landscape specifiers exceptional pieces at reasonable prices.” It is an innovative collaboration which should have a future ahead of it. “We could unearth other collection pieces from the archives, dating from the 19th century or the 1930s,” announces Cédric Riou.
nominations
DECOR ECHOES
Hervé Martin at Baccarat
At Baccarat, Hervé Martin, delegate managing director since September 2007, has been named managing director by the crystal works’ board of advisors.
world decor
DECOR ECHOES
Lékué moves from the kitchen to the bathroom
MAISON&OBJET (La table - hall 3)
The Spanish Lékué is continuing on the path of its cultural revolution. Long gone are the days when the Catalan company supplied Ikea with 25 million rubber ice cube trays. The specialist of flexible silicone products for the kitchen and the home has set up its own brand around the world. In less than ten years, the brand has sold over 15 million molds in 40 countries. “We changed our vision of the company by insisting on brand recognition and matching the company’s international bent with the development of a retail network,” analyzes Xavier Costa, managing director, who, with support from the financial group Espiga, breathed new energy into the company. The results: in 2007, Lékué made 65% of its turnover abroad: in the USA, Germany, as well as in Finland and Japan. France remains the first market for a business which has put innovation at the heart of its development strategy. “We have always innovated with surprising products that are high-quality and harmonious, because you have to stand out with new ideas, which help the consumer.” Putting in place an innovation committee that includes consumers and looks to designers such as Luki Huber, allowed the company to develop unusual products, such as a lemon juicer or a silicone steam-box to be used in a traditional oven or the microwave. With help from its Japanese partner Sanéi, the brand is now taking on the world of wellbeing, with three new silicone and recyclable rubber collections that include massage gloves, bathroom accessories, and bath mats with tonic design. “People are spending more and more time in their bathrooms. The space is perceived as a place of wellbeing.”
At the last session of Design Miami 07, Die Gestalten Verlag, the German publisher of design books, organized an exhibit devoted to fragile materials such as porcelain, ceramics and glass. Over 200 works, created by designers from all over the world, including Mimi Joung, Scott Rench, Jason Miller, Megan Bogonovich, as well as Qubus, Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, Jaime Hayon…etc. A whole generation of designers is exploring the new creative fields of fragility with daring aesthetics and often, a sense of humor. On request from the event’s organizers, the Belgian designer Arno Quinze created a series of exclusive sculptures made by glass blowers from the Bavarian works Theresenthial. The “Fluid” collection was presented for the first time in Miami, as well as “Porcelain” vases. A book on the Fragiles exhibition will be published in March.
The boom in architects’ residences
What is the last word in ultimate chic for living spaces? An apartment designed by a starchitect. There is an embarrassment of riches. After Starck-designed buildings in New York and Miami, it was in SoHo that hotelier André Balasz imagined 40 Mercer Residences by calling into service the French designer Jean Nouvel. “Modern glamour” will sidle into a transparent fifteen-story building, with apartments ranging from studios to a duplex loft. Near the MoMA at 53 West 53rd, the Jean Nouvel Studio’s creativity will take on the sculptural form of a 75-story skyscraper filled with apartments and a luxury hotel. In the Chelsea neighborhood, once again, Jean Nouvel will be on hand at 100 11th Avenue for a gently curved building with 23 floors and 72 luxury apartments. In the SoHo neighborhood, new versions of Shigeru Ban’s Curtain House should see the light of day before the year’s over, while I. M. Pei is finishing up the stone waterfall of the Centurion and its 48 apartments. In Chicago, Santiago Calatrava will change the skyline with one of the highest skyscrapers in America: the spiral of the Chicago Spire will unfurl over 150 floors, with over a thousand apartments and 150 hotel rooms.
Spina turns on the lights
scènes d'intérieur (hall 5B/5C)
Designers Joe Zito and Robbie Spina, founders of the brand Spina, are used to having a prestigious clientele, with personalities like Madonna, David and Victoria Beckham or major houses such as Wedgwood, Mulberry, Van Cleef & Arpels, Christian Dior and the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. Since 2000, the London-based duo has been bringing the traditional art of passementerie into modern times. Curtain-holders made from metal, feathers, beads or mink add precious luxury to interior decors. Crystal curtains, rhinestone-embroidered silk cushions, and poufs hemmed with chains or beads round out this extravagant elegance. The creators now produce spectacular made-to-order lighting, such as cascades of amber and crystal, or surprising chandeliers made from black crystal. A luminous glamour that is all the rage.
Olivier Bassil and Jeremy Genin, co-founders of the new community site Squa.re, are interested in 18 to 35 years olds with a passion for luxury and high-end lifestyles. Inspired by the phenomenal success of the social networking site Facebook, with its 24 million users, the young entrepreneurs wanted to bring together the community of luxury brand addicts. The company, based in London, proposes four online television stations devoted to fashion, nightlife, tourism and decoration. Members of the community are invited to create their own television channel aimed at their networks. And to exchange and share their passion for “luxurealism” or how to live luxuriously in one’s daily life. For Jeremy Genin, “luxury is a lifestyle that we encourage people to share.”
showcases
PINK DIARY
The Toyota space
79 avenue des Champs-Elysées. 75008 Paris. France.
Ora Ito has revamped the showroom for the Japanese automobile brand with a “Hybrid Energy Lounge” for relaxing with massages and wellbeing stimulators. Starting in mid-February, the restaurant Kaiseki Bento will allow customers to enjoy menus invented by the chef Hisayuki Takeuchi in bento boxes designed by Ora Ito. A futuristic red-and-white décor with furniture specially created by the designer. Afternoons, the space will transform into a tearoom.
Stade de France. 93216 La Plaine Saint-Denis. France.
In celebration of its 10 year anniversary, the Stade de France asked the Andrée Putman Agency to design the kilometer-long hall that runs along the VIP boxes. On the floor will be the emblematic checkerboard of Madame Putman and her furniture.
Nicolas Feuillatte Space
254 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. 75008 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 27 61 19
The champagne brand has asked Christian Ghion to take charge of the decoration for its Paris showroom. The architect and designer opted for contemporary, chic luxury with noble materials such as rosewood. Black glass walls and slate floors inset with stainless steel stoppers engraved “Nicolas Feuillatte”. “Black dominates,” he explains. Downstairs is a tasting room, with a line of buckets and flutes created by the designer.
13 à table
34 rue de Rivoli. 75004 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 77 40 50
The concept store imagined by the Deshoulières group has broken into the cityscape after having tested out its concept of “cooking, decorating and receiving.” Pascal Bildstein and Constance Vezia of the integrated design studio, have invented a post-industrial décor with graffiti-covered walls, in order to adapt to a more urban context while conserving the color codes of the brand in orange and green. L’Atelier 13 offers cooking classes.
Accessible design in the Loir-et-Cher region was Marie Stampers’s daring gamble. Near Blois and the Château de Cheverny, this former collaborator with La Maison de Valérie has paved the way for contemporary chic with brands such as Robert Le Héros, Magis, Ethnicraft, Ekobo, Tolix, XL, Domestic, Asa, Palais des Thés, FatBoy or lighting by Anglepoise. A tearoom allows clients to add a dash of conviviality to their shopping.
Cobson Space
66 rue Charlot. 75003 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 60 51 30
In a former blacksmith’s in the Marais district, creator Corinne Cobson asked designer Sam Baron to stage her poetic world by combining shopping and spiritual fodder: Prouvé furniture, ready-to-wear collections hanging from heavy chains, exhibitions, concerts.
Thomas Chavel design
30 rue Beaubourg. 75003 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 48 87 10 33
In the heart of Paris, designer Thomas Chavel self-edits his creations, objects with elegant, sparing lines.
Exposure
14 rue du Vertbois. 75003 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 77 06 49
A gallery/boutique devoted to furniture, lighting and accessories signed by the greatest names in design, such as Konstantin Grcic, Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid, Jasper Morrison …etc.
Fauchon
After the bakery, the architect and designer Christian Biecher has once again taken up the color codes of the famous gourmet brand, outfitting the fine food store in black, pink and silver. The next stage will be the March opening of the restaurant Fauchon Le Café.
Eric Muller and Katia Barcellos’s idea might seem surprising: matching beauty with gourmet delights – that is, a tea room with delicious pastries and a hair salon. The two-in-one formula has been jam-packed since 2002.
In the Valais dialect, Nevaï means “snow.” In the heart of the Swiss Alps, architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh designed an elegant four-star hotel with 33 rooms offering a panoramic view of the ski resort. Alpine tradition meets sophisticated design, creating a place that feels warm in any season. A stalactite motif is the running theme.
Eco-tourism in the heart of Napa Valley in this 133-room hotel which has vowed to respect the environment. Architect Mickey Muennig privileged ecological construction materials such as carpets made from recycled materials. Solar panels provide 12% of the electricity. In the lobby, panels indicate the water and electricity consumption, as well as CO2 emissions. There are no chemical fertilizers in the garden. It is an initiative by the California entrepreneur Wen-I-Chang, founder of the Atman Hospitality Group, who plans to open two more hotels in the 94503 zip code.
restaurants
PINK DIARY
Black Calavados
40 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie. 75008 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 47 20 77 77
Alexandre de Bétak honors the color black for night-crawling dandies in a neo-Baroque décor with black-lacquered walls decorated with smoked-glass mirrors. Beneath an 18th century fresco of The Abduction of Love, black magic haunts the kitchen in the form of a surprising menu devised by Frederick Grasser Hermé, an expert in chromatic cuisine: from the Black Kiss cocktail to the blackberry vinaigrette, from soft Dali noodles to black pizza with truffles, a dreamy hedonism awakens dark desires.
In the kitchen, the know-how of Alain Ducasse with the chef Pascal Féraud at the helm; for the décor, Patrick Jouin, who’s reworked the lighting and fluidified the space. At 125 meters off the ground, the Eiffel Tower’s three-star restaurant is shining brightly, brushing up against the Milky Way.
228 rue de Rivoli. 75001 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 44 58 10 44
In the prestigious setting of the Hôtel Meurice, Philippe Starck and his daughter Ara, author of the fresco, give the intimate décor neo-Empire accents, while chef Yannick Alléno invents luxurious, palatial bistro cuisine.
1 place du Trocadéro et du 11 novembre. 75116 Paris. France.
With a view of the Eiffel Tower, a light-suffused space for a relaxing break. Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. The sandwiches were designed by chef Marc Veyrat for l’Affiche.
Neo.t
89 rue des Martyrs. 75018 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 53 41 69 76
In a neighborhood bereft of gourmet shops, behind a purple façade, Valérie Stalport, a former journalist and aficionado of Asian culture, has opened a tea house. Come discover 120 “vintages” of unflavored teas and green teas; accessories involving the world of tea; books; and, soon, a tasting room for an introduction into the refined art of tea in all its forms.
The former Tryptik has gone for a change of mood. The architect and graphic designer collective Exyzt designed an ephemeral festive space as a “place where you’re made to believe you can dream”. The visual identity of this neo-clubbing space devoted to electronic music was created by Laurent Fétis.
Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway. New York NY 10023. USA. Tel. (212) 595 03 03
The Paris charcutier Gilles Vérot has teamed up with the two-star French chef Daniel Boulud to initiate the delicate palates of the Upper West side into sophisticated feasts.
Le Plateau. Rue des Alouettes. 75019 Paris. France.
Dealing with the issue of diffusion, this exhibition brings together works acquired by the FRAC Ile de France, such as those of Dora Garcia, Pascal Convert, Manuel Ocampo, Cocktail designers…etc.
Through February 17, 2008
Distorsion
11 rue Ferdinand Duval. 75004 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 78 99 99
A new stylistic exercise for the designer Hervé Van der Straeten, who presents furniture, lighting and precious objects as well as the know-how drawn on to produce these tempered Baroque creations.
Natural, recyclables, always aware of their impact on the environment, current materials place design in the virtuous viewpoint of sustainable
Through March 16, 2008
Yona Friedman
Entrepôt Lainé. CAPC Galerie Ferrère. 7 rue Ferrère. 33000 Bordeaux. France.
A retrospective on the work of the French architect and urban planner.
From Feburary 7 to June 15, 2008
Eros and Thanatos
Palais Lumière. Quai Albert-Besson. 74502 Evian. France.
The work of symbolist painter Gustav-Adolf Mossa (1883-1971) revisits the mythical and Biblical figures of Judith, Delilah, Salomé, Danae, and Sappho, evoking decadence and dangerous femininity.
From February 9 to May 18, 2008
Songs and landscapes
Le Grand Hornu Images. Rue Sainte-Louise, 82. B-7301 Hornu. Belgique.
From 1993 to 2006, Italian designer Ettore Sottsass, now recently departed, created a range of pieces for the Sèvres porcelain works. An exemplary collaboration staged by the designer Adrien Rovero as a final homage to one of the most brilliant designers of our times.
Through March 9, 2008
A.R Penck
Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris. 11 avenue du Président Wilson. 75116 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 40 00
The first retrospective devoted to the German artist, born in 1939 in Dresden, presents a set of 120 large format paintings, works on paper, sculptures, etc.
6 Mandel. 6 avenue Georges Mandel. 75016 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 42 27 27 93
Maryline Pomian’s striking cigarette paper sculptures, installations and reliefs defy weightlessness.
Laurina Paperina
Galerie Magda Danysz. 78 rue Amelot. 75011 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0) 1 45 83 38 51
For her first one-woman exhibition in France, the young Italian artist plays on minimalist derision and evokes a playful world peopled by today’s superheroes.
From February 16 to March 29, 2008
Musée d’Orsay. 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur. 75007 Paris. France.
Between 1883 and 1905, this master of Art Nouveau experimented with all possible materials and used all different techniques: plaster, marble, bronze, gold, silver, pewter, zinc, sandstone, earthenware, stained glass, mosaics, prints, chromolithography, wallpaper, as well as painting and drawing, with over 500 portraits of personalities of his day.
Thtrough April 13, 2008
Galerie des Gobelins. 42 avenue des Gobelins. 75013 Paris. France. Tel. +33 (0)1 44 08 53 49
Over 70 “cult” pieces created by the Atelier de Recherche et de Création du Mobilier National or chosen by the national institution in celebration of the French designer’s 80th birthday.
From February 2 to July 27, 2008
Centre Pompidou. Place Georges Pompidou. 75004 Paris. France
An homage to the work of the 2007 Pritzker Prize-winner and creator of the Centre Pompidou in association with Renzo Piano, through the projects and creations of a major master of architecture that foregrounds readability and the transparency of spaces.
Through March 3, 2008
to read
CULTURE DECOR
Pure Design. Objects of desire
By Julien Martinez Calmettes. What do Meric Kara’s sugar spoons, Demakersvan’s metallic lace fences and Adrien Rovero and Scott de Martinville’s rhinestone tape have in common? Beyond a recurring penchant for purity and whiteness, a sense of form, the search for emotion, a touch of humor and irony is the desire to create objects that foster sensations and emotions – in short, objects that generate desire. For Julien Martinez Calmettes, a “poetic language” qualifies the creations of “pure designers” such as Cédric Ragot, Chris Kabel, Frédérix Ruyant, Jaime Hayon, Mathieu Lehanneur and many others, whose elegant creations are transcribing the new forms of our century.
Editions Monsa. 31€. On sale at Kitchen 93.
Sociology of trends
Guillaume Erner. They are too often taken lightly. But for sociologist Guillaume Erner, trends “raise some of the most important issues in sociology.” Children of the post-war boom years and the society of mass consumption, these “focalizations of desire” seem to be examples of “the collective taste converging”, which masks the great diversity of such phenomena.
Que sais-je ? Collection. Editions Puf. 8€.
Model apartments and the reconstruction of Le Havre
Le Havre, a city classified World Heritage by the Unesco, opened a model apartment of post-war architecture in 2006. After the city center was bombarded during the war, the objective was to “reinvent an ideal living space in Le Havre”. Architect August Perret, a virtuoso of concrete, affirmed at the time, “What I want is to make something new and lasting.” The micro-museum of the Perret model apartment reconstructs the interior design and decoration of a typical space from the first years of the postwar era. Andreas Sirch’s photographs evoke the chronicles of a life in the 1950s.
Editions Point de Vues. 29€
Marble, from quarries to palaces
Pascal Julien. An excellent work that has won both the 2007 Prix du Cercle Montherlant-Académie des Beaux-Arts and the Prix Spécial du Jury-Académie d'Architecture, in which the author tantalizingly retraces the rich history of an exceptional material.
Editions Le Bec en l’air. 48€
Panorama of design
As it does each year, the Agence pour la Promotion de la Création Industrielle has compiled a list of independent and integrated designers, as well as design agencies in the Ile-de-France region, where over 60% of French designers work.
Editions Alternatives. 25€
Punk House. Interiors in anarchy
Photographer Abby Banks catalogues 42 Americna houses that are not like all the others. An “aesthetics” of free creativity that subverts trends and the rules of good taste. A quirky décor thus becomes the disorderly manifesto of a counterculture that juggles scarcity and the ephemeral, of a more or less artsy lifestyle that is radically opposed to consumerism. All published by Thurston Mooren, a founding member of the mythical rock group Sonic Youth.
Thurston Moore. $27.50
M&O in
NEWS
Zaha Hadid exhibition, MAISON&OBJET 2008 designer
scènes d'intérieur (hall 5C)
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) are delighted to present a unique environment showcasing a selection of key pieces from their current design repertoire that continue to defy the traditional use of space. The elegantly fluid design of the Vortexx Chandelier, Z-Scape furniture and silverware will provide an introduction to the formal language of seamless morphology explored by the practice.
For the first time since its launch Sawaya & Moroni will unveil a new and highly anticipated version of the Z-Scape furniture in a bronze palette. Z-Scape is a compact ensemble of lounging furniture whose formal concept is derived from a natural glacial landscape, and achieved through the erosive sculpting of the form. The Vortexx Chandelier created for Sawaya & Moroni with Zumtobel , inspired by the vision of an infinite ribbon of light, creates the perfect symbiosis of organic lines and dynamic light colour modulation. The curved lines of its form serve to conjure up a double helix that appears to flow in perpetual motion - weightless, vivid and brilliant. Both black and white versions will be shown. Also featured will be a bowl for Sawaya & Moroni - conceived as an elegant sculptural mass with a slightly concave centre that responds to the diffusion of energies generated at its perimeter, setting up an interesting surface for the reflection of light. New paintings produced for Kenny Schachter ROVE
Gallery LLP in silver and black will complement this stunning interior environment.
Patricia Urquiola exhibition, now! design à vivre 2008 designer
now! design à vivre (hall 7)
Scenography by Philippe Boisselier.
In the now! Gallery, an exhibition of work by Patricia Urquiola, the 2008 now! design à vivre designer of the year, is presented in front of a white 24 metre long cyma. The aim is to suggest a sort of elevation on which some thirty or so different pieces of
typology and productions are aligned. A frontal presentation on two planes - wall and floor - the objects are grouped into domestic-style tableaux. Her work for Artelano, B&B, EMU, Foscarini, Moroso... is here purposely overlapped to highlight Patricia Urquiola’s variety of expression and styles.
Once again, MAISON&OBJET hits the front pages with MAISON&OBJET musées
MAISON&OBJET musées (Mezzanine, hall 6)
A new space devoted to the market for cultural object and gifts, you can discover MAISON&OBJET musées at MAISON&OBJET, in Mezzanine, entrance Hall 6.
For three days, from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th January 2008, covering 500 sq m, almost 50 companies meeting the growing needs of cultural and tourist locations for cultural objects and gifts will be present. This offer is completed by the Museum Itinerary wich includes one hundred exhibitors from MAISON&OBJET also working with byuers in the cultural market.
With the support of AMI (Association Museum & Industries)
A.M.I. Association Museum & Industries aims to study, reflect on, promote and develop activities linked to artistic, cultural and educational spin-off products and the commercial activities of artistic, cultural and educational institutions and companies in general.
« Mademoiselle à la mode » in Paris
now! design à vivre (Gallery, hall 7)
Fashion and design on the catwalk against AIDS. Following the Sidaction gala evening
- Fashion against AIDS - on 24th January 2008, where they
will be auctioned in the now! gallery, MAISON&OBJET will
present a dozen of the «Mademoiselle» chairs by Philippe
Starck for Kartell and customised by fashion designers:
Barbara Bui, Jean Charles de Castelbajac, Chantal
Thomass, Christian Lacroix, Loulou de la Falaise and Jean
Paul Gautier
Ateliers d’Art de France: Perspectives and Traditions
MAISON&OBJET (Descente hall 4)
A professional guild founded in 1868, Ateliers d’Art de France now federates almost 1300 artistic professionals: craftsmen, artists or
factories. It represents them to public authorities and professional organisations in France and abroad.
Ateliers d’Art de France has asked the Nelly Rodi agency to create a scenography project that will take place in the area leading down to hall 4, covering about 120 sq m, to which will be added presentations installed at the entrance of the aisles to the L’Espace sector - the arts and crafts workshop (on the edge of the «fil rouge»).
The concept that NellyRodi will develop for l’espace d’Ateliers d’Art de France will be based on 4 themes:
Surrealism & theatricality / Hybridisation & humour / Visions & hallucinations / Irony & off-beat.
MEUBLE PARIS in
NEWS
MEUBLE PARIS honors creation with The Lounge Paulin
MEUBLE PARIS (hall 4/5)
Now as ever on the high wire of creation, this acrobat has designed, in collaboration with Thibault Desombre, a relaxation space in hall 4.
Thibault Desombre, Design Craftsman A woodworker and former member of the Compagnons du Tour de France, Thibault Desombre is now a
designer. He collaborated with Pierre Paulin, the two working together to design the Lounge Paulin.
Throughout the 5 days, the MEUBLE PARIS conferences will decipher the “furniture markets for professionals: trends and evolutions”. Each day, a presentation on a theme, in partnership with a magazine - at Paris Le Bourget’s conference room.
The MEUBLE PARIS conferences will be presented by Furniture industry professionals, every day at 11:00 am, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
Conference room, hall 1/2.
