Thierry Dreyfus (opens in new tab) defies easy categorisation. There’s the work he's made his name for; producing runway shows (opens in new tab) for houses like Yves Saint-Laurent and Comme des Garçons. Then there are the large-scale light installations (opens in new tab), like those he did on the Eiffel Tower in 2008 and in Notre Dame in 2010. But in his Paris studio, removed from the spectacle of orchestrating fashion extravaganzas and transforming global landmarks, Dreyfus crafts material – and light – with the quiet introspection of an artist.
'The Art of Light', an exhibition at New York's Atelier Courbet (opens in new tab), draws from this section of Dreyfus’s body of work, including domestic-scaled pieces, many of which have never been shown outside of his own studio. The now-iconic ‘Hommage’ table sits at the gallery’s center, surrounded by smaller lamps and objets d’art. Four ‘Virgule’ lamps – each made with a different material – point to the subtle relationship between light and material, and the Brâncuși-esque ‘Lamp B’ seems as much of a sculpture as it is a lighting fixture.
Further uptown on 135 West 52nd Street (opens in new tab), the developers of a 47-story residential tower commissioned Dreyfus to make a permanent lighting installation (opens in new tab) on the building’s facade – which he did as a thin vertical strip whose light pulsates at the frequency of a resting heart rate. 'Maybe this will help slow people down,' he remarks. The exhibition at Atelier Courbet also includes a pair of sconces he created for that project, ‘Lamp 52nd', that mimic the building’s form and diffuse light through translucent marble panels.
Many of the objects Drefyus included in ‘The Art of Light’ were not initiated through a design commission, but rather with his own curiosity about form and beauty. 'Every evening, I stand in front of the mirror to brush my teeth, and I always ask myself, "Did I really live today?,"' he says, citing his drive to discover new ways of finding beauty. 'I need to experience beauty every day.'
'The Art of Light', an exhibition at New York's Atelier Courbet, draws from this section of Dreyfus’ body of work, including domestic-scaled pieces
Despite avoiding extravagance, Dreyfus' works are still aesthetically wonderful. 'I need to experience beauty everyday,' he says
These smaller scale works appear in the wake of large installations previously projected on to the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame
At the centre of the exhibition sits the now-iconic 'Hommage' table, surrounded by many objets d’art and smaller lamps
Further uptown, Dreyfus was commissioned to make a permanent lighting installation on a residential tower’s facade – which he did as a thin vertical strip whose light pulsates at the frequency of a resting heart rate
Exploring the relationship between light and material are four 'Virgule' lamps, each made from a different material
The Brâncuși-esque ‘Lamp B’ seems as much of a sculpture as it is a lighting fixture
INFORMATION
’The Art of Light’ is on view at Atelier Courbet until 17 October
ADDRESS
Atelier Courbet
175 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
-
Kunokaiku urns become everyday domestic objects to address the subjectivity of lossKunokaiku urns were created by photographer Marianna Jamadi with Mexican ceramic studio Menat, as a way to remember a loved one at home
-
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and Book3 expand its ecosystem with speed and sophistication
Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Book3 Ultra are designed to deliver a premium computing experience
-
Design, air filtration and sustainability meet in the ‘Air’ lamp
‘Air as design inspiration’: the ‘Air’ lamp by Adam D Tihany and Contardi puts ecological issues at the forefront
-
Nendo’s collaborations with Kyoto artisans go on view in New York
‘Nendo sees Kyoto’ is on view at Friedman Benda (until 15 October 2022), showcasing the design studio's collaboration with six artisans specialised in ancient Japanese crafts
-
Italian craftsmanship comes to Los Angeles in this eclectic Venice Canals apartment
Boffi Los Angeles celebrates a juxtaposition of texture throughout a waterside bolthole
-
Design Miami/Basel 2022 explores the Golden Age
Design Miami/Basel 2022, led by curatorial director Maria Cristina Didero, offers a positive spin after the unprecedented times of the pandemic, and looks at the history and spirit of design
-
Kvadrat’s flagship New York showrooms encompass colourful design codes
Industrial designer Jonathan Olivares and architect Vincent Van Duysen have worked with Danish textile brand Kvadrat on the vast new space, also featuring furniture by Moroso
-
What to see at New York Design Week 2022
Discover Wallpaper’s highlights from New York Design Week 2022 (10 – 20 May 2022): the fairs, exhibitions and design openings to discover
-
Colour defines LA ceramics studio and showroom of Bari Ziperstein
Step inside the multifunctional ceramics studio, office and showroom of designer and artist Bari Ziperstein, designed by local firm Foss Hildreth
-
Design for Ukraine: Bocci and Design Miami join forces to raise funds
The online sale of iconic Bocci pieces will benefit GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, providing urgently needed humanitarian aid
-
The Future Perfect celebrates materiality in new Los Angeles exhibition
Coinciding with Frieze LA, a new exhibition titled ‘Momentary Pause’ (17 February – 18 March 2022) explores material-based practices that inspire change
