Bouroullec Brother’s New Paris Exhibition:
Here at Nazmiyal antique rugs, we are erstwhile admirers of good design. The Bouroullec brothers, Ronan and Erwan, are highly regarded industrial designers with a new exhibition on display at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. An exhibition that highlights the Bououllecs’ penchant for modernism as well as organic, naturalistic aesthetics has been hugely well-received within the art world. Long the toast of critics and consumers alike, the Bouroullecs’ unique vision and tremendous technical prowess are being celebrated at he Musee des Arts Deco from now through the first of September.
The brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have been leading figures in the world of industrial design for more than a decade and are now showing an expansive and impressive exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris that offers an intimate glance into their unique and influential aesthetic. Having been at the forefront of many major movements within industrial design since at least 1999, the brothers Bouroullec are easily the most influential design team currently operating in France, and their work has had a significant impact on design trends all over the world. The exhibition, titled “Momentare” – the French for “momentary” – is a fascinating conglomeration of the brothers’ work, which, while perhaps superficially intimidating for its self-confidence and sparse composition, is actually deeply beautiful, functional, and exciting.
According to the website for the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, the exhibition, which runs from April 26 through September 1, is
Conceived as a gigantic system combining the spectacular and intimate […] and covers over 1000 square meters […] all aspects of production will be discussed: the object space, limited to the industrial part series of public furniture to furniture for domestic use, the drawing video, through photography. The nave and two aisles allow designers three approaches to their work at the center, the implementation of a system in a vast architectural space, the garden, the reflection around the office and workspace […] a more intimate approach integrating the creative process.
The triumph of the Bouroullec’s exhibition, which has been acclaimed by art critics the world over, would seem to be the result of – among many other things – its integrity and consistency with the brothers’ much-lauded design style.
One art critic writing for the New York Times says that the Bouroullec’s aesthetic is a winning approach because it is “formally elegant, technically ingenious, disciplined, yet flexible… [it] has the air of something that belongs to the present, and could only be the result of the latest technology and design thinking.”
Perhaps this marriage of technical prowess and the utilization of modern ideas – coupled with an aesthetic that seems to focus on the organic – is the foundation of the Bouroullecs’ tremendous success.
“Momentare,” which is positively massive in scale, seems to focus most keenly on the Bouroullecs’ more naturalistic compositions, including a large display of their famed “algue” – decorative pieces that resemble plastic seaweed and one of the Bouroullecs’ most successful creations: the seaweed decorations are sold in bundles of 25 which cost about $125, and more than 8 million have been sold worldwide. There is also a large display of the Bouroullecs’ “Clouds,” which consists of a series of interlocking felt tiles.
That the Bouroullecs can simultaneously evoke the ultra-modern and the naturalistic in such an aesthetically appealing manner is surely a major factor in their enduring success as industrial designers. The Bouroullecs brilliantly embrace the technology of the present in more than just a utilitarian manner – they also weave it into the very fabric of their design, acknowledging that as our lives are changed by technology, our aesthetic and functional needs are also changed.
While modern industrial design is not for everyone, work that is as thoughtful and technically well-executed as the Bouroullecs’ possesses a level of quality and beauty that practically transcends questions of taste.
If you enjoyed this post, you might be interested in other content on the Nazmiyal Blog! Like may be this post on David Thomas Smith’s “Anthropocene” exhibition currently showing in Dublin, this story about Jean Royere’s mid century modern design, or this one about designer Yves Behar!
This art blog was published by: Nazmiyal Antique Oriental Rugs