A new exhibition puts the spotlight on French designer Pierre Paulin’s lesser-known designs from the 1980s. Demisch Danant has partnered with Paulin, Paulin, Paulin on ‘Formal Disruption: Pierre Paulin and the State Commissions of the 1980s’, an exhibition that encompasses some of the designer’s most radical works and limited editions (on view until 27 May 2023).
Pierre Paulin 1980s designs at Demisch Danant
‘We’ve been dedicated advocates of Paulin’s work for the last 20 years, having displayed the furniture he created for President Georges Pompidou for the Élysée Palace (1972) at our gallery in 2005,’ says Demisch Danant co-founder Suzanne Demisch. ‘On a personal level, we've had a warm relationship with the Paulin family ever since we met Pierre and his wife Maia nearly two decades ago. When Benjamin and Alice arrived, we continued our work with them, looking forward to one day doing a project together. We’re thrilled that the day has finally come with this exhibition, presenting models that have never before been commercially produced.’
The gallery is revisiting Paulin’s work after previous shows, including the ‘Mobilier National’ group show in 2011, and the ‘L'Homme Moderne' solo exhibition in 2015.
Now, for the first time, Paulin’s pieces that have not previously been displayed are available for public viewing, such as works from collections including ‘Mitterrand Office Set’ (1983), ‘Iena’ (1985), ‘Diwan’ (1991), ‘Baker’ (late 1980s), ‘Amarante’ (1980), ‘Musée des Arts Décoratifs’ (1983), ‘Hôtel de Ville’ (1986), ‘Cathédrale’ (1981) and ‘Tapis-Siège’ (1968).
A particular highlight is the five-piece ‘Mitterrand’ office set commissioned by the French president in 1985, which marks Paulin’s shift to an emphasis on craftsmanship. ‘Presenting the “Mitterrand” collection today is an opportunity to showcase a highly symbolic achievement, both for its modernity and for what it represents in my father’s illustrious career,’ says Benjamin Paulin, co-manager of Paulin’s estate. ‘A synthesis of his knowledge of period furniture and his industrial experience, this collection is the pinnacle of his legacy.’
‘Formal Disruption: Pierre Paulin and the State Commissions of the 1980s’ is on view until 27 May 2023
Demisch Danant
30 W 12th St,
New York, NY 10011
-
20 things that positively delighted us in and around Design Miami this yearFrom covetable 20th-century masterpieces to a tower made from ceramic pickles, these were the works that stood out amid the blur of Art Week
-
Montcalm Mayfair opens a new chapter for a once-overlooked London hotelA thoughtful reinvention brings craftsmanship, character and an unexpected sense of warmth to a London hotel that was never previously on the radar
-
Magniberg’s latest bedwear collaboration with Our Legacy is beautifully sun-faded and lived-inColoured using dyes derived from plants and minerals, the new bedding sets and pyjamas are meant to evoke the feeling of ‘a well-worn band T-shirt or your favourite vintage sweatshirt’, says Our Legacy co-founder Jockum Hallin
-
Meet Goodesign, the modular furniture studio with big dreamsWallpaper* speaks to Emmanuel Popoteur, the self-taught designer behind New York’s Goodesign, a studio creating intuitive, adaptable furniture for modern living
-
Five things we loved at ICFF this yearFrom ceramic sconces to inflatables, here's the furniture and lighting that caught our eye
-
Ludmilla Balkis’ organic, earthy ceramics embody the Basque countrysideThe sculptor-ceramicist presents a series inspired by and created from found natural objects in a New York exhibition
-
Designer Danny Kaplan’s Manhattan showroom is also his apartment: the live-work space reimaginedDanny Kaplan’s Manhattan apartment is an extension of his new showroom, itself laid out like a home; he invites us in, including a first look at his private quarters
-
New Superhouse show captures the rebellious spirit of Dan Friedman’s Manhattan apartmentIn the late 1970s, graphic designer and artist Dan Friedman transformed his apartment into a Day-Glo laboratory of ideas. Now, a new exhibition at Superhouse in New York revisits his vibrant, rebellious world
-
Design practice Astraeus Clarke is inspired by cinema to tell a story and evoke an emotionIn a rapidly changing world, the route designers take to discover their calling is increasingly circuitous. Here we speak to Chelsie and Jacob Starley the creative duo behind Astraeus Clarke
-
Hella Jongerius’ ‘Angry Animals’ take a humorous and poignant bite out of the climate crisisAt Salon 94 Design in New York, Hella Jongerius presents animal ceramics, ‘Bead Tables’ and experimental ‘Textile Studies’ – three series that challenge traditional ideas about function, craft, and narrative
-
One to Watch: designer Valerie Name infuses contemporary objects and spaces with historical detailFrom vessels to furnishings and interiors, New York- and Athens-based designer Valerie Name finds new relevance for age-old craft techniques
