Jean Prouvé’s modernist genius explored through unseen works at TEFAF New York

TEFAF New York opens this week, and Galerie Patrick Seguin returns to the fair for the fifth time, bringing more unseen work by French modernist architecture master Jean Prouvé. This year, French gallerist and collector Seguin will bring 12 projects to his stand – two of which have never been on display for the public before.

Explore TEFAF New York’s Galerie Patrick Seguin display on Jean Prouvé

Indeed, Villa Lopez (1953) and the Valençaude school (1954) are two of Prouvé's lesser-known works, which have not been shared widely or seen much since their initial conception in the 20th century. They join ten more works at the stand: the SCAL pavilion (1940), the BCC house (1941), the 6x6, 6x9 emergency housing units (1944) and 8x8 reconstruction unit (1945), the Carnac vacation house (1946), the Better Days house (1956), and school and office buildings such as the Croismare glassmaking school (1948) and the Maxéville design office (1948).

The projects are showcased in a way that highlights 'the consistency of the constructive system developed by Jean Prouvé', the gallery explains in its statement. The architecture's capacity to adapt, both in terms of scale and function, was key in the French modernist's thinking.

Prouvé believed that 'there is no difference between the construction of a piece of furniture and a house', states the gallery. At the heart of the stand, among the amazing structures designed by the architect, is a rarely seen table. The piece, a 3.3m-long element, was originally designed in 1952 for the Antony Cité Universitaire student residences on the outskirts of Paris.

The table's large scale is a key focal point for the stand. Titled ‘Centrale’ table, it is made out of folded steel and was designed in the 1950s – a representation of Prouvé's material explorations and a true collector's item.

TEFAF New York runs 14-19 May 2026 at the Park Avenue Armory, New York

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