pharrell visits galerie laffanour's charlotte perriand exhibition at design miami

designboom spotted singer pharrell at galerie laffanour presenting charlotte perriand at design miami
image © designboom

the paris-based galerie laffanour showed an extraordinary solo exhibition of the architect and designer’s work at design miami/: ‘charlotte perriand – a house in montmartre’ created in the 1950s brought together a selection of rare designs created for maison borot – the residence of the industrialist jean borot – which brilliantly encapsulates the breadth of charlotte perriand’s work. highlights on view from maison borot were a bookcase (the culmination of her life-long research and interest in bookcase design), a white lacquered wood hanging system, a mahogany console table and two one-off pieces including a ceiling lamp and settee. the borot house, one of perriand’s last works, completely captured the zeitgeist of her time. the exclusive pieces showcased in the exhibition offer a never-before-seen glimpse into the exceptionally sophisticated and comprehensive vision of charlotte perriand.

cupboard; unique piece, ca 1959
in oregon pine tree, olive tree, black lacquered formica
dimensions : h 89 4/5 x l 59 x d 19 2/3 inches
provenance : jean and huguette borot’s house, paris

a tree’s braided bark is translated as the cupboard’s handle
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invited to japan in 1940 as advisor for the industrial art institute, charlotte perriand was overwhelmed by japanese culture which she felt confirmed her own vision of space planning. perriand’s use of clean, horizontal and vertical lines, sophisticated sliding doors, and minimal figuration take aesthetic influence from japanese furniture. somewhat juxtaposing this context is the cupboard’s handle, made from the natural, knotted roots of a tree. she created storage units beginning in 1948, studied the principles of integrated kitchen as early as 1947, sanitary cabins and suspended fittings in 1952.

continuous vertical and horizontal lines are the framework for the unit, influenced by the minimalism of japanese furniture
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pharrell takes a close look at one of charlotte perriand’s original chairs
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pharrell at galerie laffanour’s charlotte perriand exhibition
image © designboom

pharrell shows some love for designboom
portrait © designboom

‘taïba’ bookshelves/sideboard by charlotte perriand, 1963
folded steel, wood and formica
dimensions : h. 55 x l. 72 ½ x p. 18 in.
special commission from : phosphate senegalese compagny in taïba, africa
© marie clérin / laffanour / galerie downtown – paris

CHARLOTTE PERRIAND’S STAR SHINED BRIGHTLY WITH MULTIPLE EXHIBITIONS on view at design miami/ art basel miami 2013

– ‘charlotte perriand – a house in montmartre’ at the galerie laffanour booth at design miami

– louis vuitton pays tribute to charlotte perriand with ‘maison au bord de l’eau’ (house by the water’s edge), building the very first prototype of this dwelling according to the original plans. the reconstructed home — perriand’s never-realized holiday house — is a rare example of modern architecture where a residence had been designed specifically to cohere and interact with the interior scheme and furniture. the project was on view at a design miami satellite at the the raleigh hotel.

– more charlotte perriand furniture items on show in the louis vuitton boutique in the miami design district,

– and the cassina showroom previewed a traveling exhibition of the architect’s photography.

charlotte perriand is regarded as one of the most influential designers of the early modern movement, introducing the profound change in aesthetic values to interiors. as a true pioneer in the application of materials like steel, aluminium and glass to furniture, the french architect and designer established an expansive breadth of work that, to this day, remains the archetype of an evolutionary shift in the industry. when she was just 24-years-old, she commenced a decade-long collaboration with le corbusier and pierre jeanneret. the architects’ furniture designs, which are now recognized as real collectors’ items are the product of a debate on the nature of modernity: the attempt to find a balance between the technical and that which is driven by questions of lifestyle – the end goal being to promote something that will be of use to society as a whole. the designs in question stand out for their intellectual rigor, commitment to social change and enthusiasm – we might even say radicalism – possessed as they were of sufficient vision and courage to strike out on new paths. the place of these items of furniture in the history of 20th century art must be seen through the spectrum of this period’s many social upheavals.

francois laffanour, owner of galerie laffanour has dedicated over 35 years to creating the market for the original works of charlotte perriand, which are very much the hallmark of laffanour (as is vividly illustrated by this spectacular display and the painstaking restoration work). the gallery’s working partnership with the perriand family has enabled them to amass an unrivaled collection of referenced works on the designs of charlotte perriand. because of the gallery’s access to personal archives, they have been able to share their expertise and knowledge of her body of work with art historians and researchers.

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