The Historia Supellexalis: "P" for Paris

Paris

An Île; A Commune; A Context

In Poetics Aristotle argues poetry arose on account of two intrinsic human instincts: an “instinct for ‘harmony’ and rhythm” and “the instinct of imitation”, as in representation rather than copying, an imitation Aristotle opines is the method via which humans learn, and that “to learn gives the liveliest pleasure”.

Yet while for Aristotle all forms of poetry are “in their general conception modes of imitation”, again as in representation rather than copying, “they differ, however, from one another in three respects – the medium, the objects, the manner or mode of imitation”.1

With the exhibition Mimesis. A Living Design the Centre Pompidou-Metz explores designers as imitators of nature, and the varying, and continually developing, mediums, objects, and manners or modes of that imitation…….

Mimesis. A living design, Centre Pompidou-Metz

The Historia Supellexalis: "B" for Bouroullec

Bouroullec

A Ronan; An Erwan; An unassuming, poetic, connection.

With the 2020 edition Stockholm Furniture Fair celebrates its 70th birthday.

Grattis på födelsedagen!

We did think about taking along a cake, but knew the halls of Stockholmsmässan would be filled to the rafters with Kanelbullar, as indeed would we.

And so by way of a present, a Stockholm Furniture Fair 2020 High 6!!

Stockholm Furniture Fair 2020: High Five

As regular readers will be well aware, here at smow blog HQ we’re very much of the opinion that fashion isn’t design. Never was. Never will be. Design, and without wanting to wade too deep into the definition quagmire, arose from applied craft/applied art, fashion is applied craft/applied art. And so while unquestionably a creative discipline, isn’t design. Neither is Graphic.

Design can however inspire and influence fashion, past decades recalling numerous occasions of fashion houses being motivated by designers’ works, a particularly apposite recent example being the news that Swiss fashion house Akris have based their Spring/Summer 2018 collection on the works of Alexander Girard, news which motivated us to retrieve a few classic items from the smow blog wardrobe……

Having grown up near Quimper, Brittany, Ronan Bouroullec moved to Paris in 1989 to study industrial design; since when the French capital has not only witnessed him complete his studies, but establish a studio, achieve his first commercial success and together with his brother Erwan develop projects for a roster of international clients including, and amongst many others, Vitra, Magis, Flos, Kvadrat and Samsung, in addition to realising numerous collaborations with Galerie kreo.

We met up with Ronan Bouroullec to discuss Paris, his experiences in, and relationship with the city, but somehow the conversation kept drifting outwith the city limits…..

Erwan & Ronan Bouroullec in their atelier in Paris Belleville (Photo courtesy Studio Bouroullec)

At the opening of the exhibition Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec – Rêveries Urbaines at the Vitra Design Museum we intimated that the first projects arising from the brother’s research into urban spaces were in an advanced state of planning.

With Oui the Kunsthal Aarhus present the first realised project.

Oui Fireplace by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at Kunsthal Aarhus

Much as we moan, moan, and moan about Milan Furniture Fair, it is a rare opportunity to get a snapshot of where individual designers are currently at: differing products for differing manufacturers being displayed in relatively proximity allowing for a nice overview. A few considerations on the latest projects by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra, Magis, Flos and Mattiazzi.

Verticale by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Flos, as seen at Milan Furniture Fair 2017

Pip by Daniel Kern for Richard Lampert, as seen at Orgatec Cologne 2016

We must start with a confession . This High Five! is a High Four! Not because there weren’t good products

Pacific Chair by Barber Osgerby, as seen at Vitra - Work, Orgatec 2016

When we spoke with Vitra’s Chief Sales Officer Josef Kaiser at NeoCon Chicago he told us that at “Orgatec 2016

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec - Rêveries Urbaines, Vitra Design Museum

In 2016 the Breton capital Rennes hosted four exhibitions of, by and from Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec; one of them

Sofa? Desk? SofaDesk! Hack by Konstantin Grcic for Vitra, as seen at NeoCon Chicago 2016

Although geographically the (hi)story of Vitra begins in Basel, spiritually it begins in America and arrives in Switzerland in 1957

New Order by Stefan Diez for HAY, as seen at Milan Design Week 2016

Established in 2002 Danish label HAY have quickly risen to become an important player in the European furniture and home

Ulisse Daybed by Konstantin Grcic for ClassiCon, as seen at Milan Furniture Fair 2016

To the casual observer selecting five outstanding products from the Milan Furniture Fair is a neigh on impossible task, so

Kiosque by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, here in front of the Louvre, 2015 (Photo © & courtesy of Studio Bouroullec)

Until August 28th the Breton capital Rennes is paying tribute to arguably the region’s most famous sons since Lancelot: Ronan

Just as January means Cologne, April is Milan. And normally only Milan. In 2015 however we managed to spice things

Chestnut wood, 3D print PLA (Photo © & courtesy of Studio Bouroullec)

In our 5 New Design Exhibitions for October 2015 post we recommended, amongst other exhibitions, the Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Karl Gräser Sessel

We’re fairly certain most museum curators aren’t inherently nocturnal, it is however noticeable that the longer the nights become, the

The 360° Stool by Konstantin Grcic for Magis (2009) and the Nelson Perch by George Nelson through Vitra (1964)

On March 10th 2015 a jury at the Central District Court of California in Los Angeles concluded that Pharrell Williams

Uncino chair by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Mattiazzi, as seen at Milan Furniture Fair 2015

It was invariably more through good fortune than good planning; however, at Milan Furniture Fair 2015 Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s

Orgatec Cologne 2014 Vitra Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

In comparison to the annual IMM Cologne furniture fair the corridors and halls of the Messe Cologne always seems curiously

1875 Swivel Ofiice Chair by Gebrüder Thonet Vienna Grassi Leipzig

By way of a 1st of May, International Workers’ Day, special…… in Milan Ronan Bouroullec told us that the brother’s

Uncino by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Mattiazzi

“Modern office chairs can be like machines, very technical. We wanted to create something a little softer, more human.” So

Ulrich Müther Binz

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow, And what will poor robin do then, poor thing? He’ll

The biggest April fool is…. us, for always going to Milan! That said, as ever, we did find a few