Henri Matisse is born again. To celebrate the artist’s exceptional legacy and the 150th anniversary of his birth, Matisse’s great-grandchildren had a luminous, and colourful idea: fund Maison Matisse with the aim to create unique collections that reflect the master painter’s vision. Henri Matisse spoke of ‘an art with balance and purity that doesn’t disquiet or disturb, so that the tired man can enjoy peace and quiet in front of his painting’. Such is the intent of Maison Matisse, which will unveil the first pieces during FIAC, Paris this week.
‘We wanted to avoid creating any by-products and revive the spirit of Henri Matisse. For us, it meant collaborating with expert designers and artisans to imagine bold shapes and showcase unparalleled savoir-faire,’ explains Jean Matthieu Matisse, who has been working on the project for a decade.
The selected designers he thought had a real talent with volumes, shapes and colours: the late Alessandro Mendini, Jaime Hayon and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. ‘We wanted the collection to reflect different cultures, styles and techniques: each designer represents a singular approach and praises a unique know-how. Heritage and legacy were, of course, the starting point but we were also looking for a contemporary edge, talents that would instigate bold emotions.’ Each was given a carte blanche to imagine a limited-edition object, and granted access to documents and archives.
Above, a model of Alessandro Mendini’s Lucente design inside Atelier Sarri.
Without further guidance, all three designers chose to design a vase. For the late Alessandro Mendini, he cited that ‘first purity and then light’ came to mind. ‘For me, the elements Matisse works with and that inspire his imagination are plant leaves in their vases, the furniture and objects occupying domestic spaces, women nude or dressed, all intertwined within a decorative space festooned with arabesques. I reflected on a complex, sinuous and organic form, as if it involved conceptual leaves, with silhouettes drawn from the structure and the geometry of some of his paintings.’ The vase’s delicate fabrication was entrusted to Florentine master craftsman Alessio Sarri.
Valencia-based Jaime Hayon based his designs on ‘fantastical elements: forms, silhouettes and natural references that conflate and float in a sea of colours. Tradition and audacity come together.’ The three distinct vases were made – using ancient techniques – by Bosa, an artisanal factory located in the Venetian mountains.
‘Vases Fenetre ’ by Studio Bouroullec
Meanwhile, the Bouroullec brothers’ series of vases ‘translates the concept of a window open to the outside.’ Terracotta, anodized aluminium and glazed ceramics were associated in three combinations to picture a window as if one gazed onto a landscape. A resolutely bright window into the past.
Following this first chapter, Maison Matisse’s permanent collection will be launched early 2020.
INFORMATION
-
A celestial New York exhibition showcases Roman and Williams’ mastery of lightingLauded design studio Roman and Williams is exhibiting 100 variations of its lighting ‘family tree’ inside a historic Tribeca space
-
‘He immortalised the birth of the supermodel’: inside Dior’s career-spanning retrospective of photographer Peter LindberghOlivier Flaviano, curator and head of Paris’ La Galerie Dior, talks us through a new Peter Lindbergh retrospective, which celebrates the seminal German photographer’s longtime relationship with the French house
-
Take a bite: Laila Gohar and The Luxury Collection’s ‘Cakes & Candles’ are a sweet treat for the sensesLaila Gohar’s six cake-inspired candles draw on The Luxury Collection’s hotels around the world – where guests can enjoy matching edible confections
-
Alessi Occasional Objects: Virgil Abloh’s take on cutleryBest Cross Pollination: Alessi's cutlery by the late designer Virgil Abloh, in collaboration with his London studio Alaska Alaska, is awarded at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023
-
Design Miami 2022: highlights from the fair and around townDesign Miami 2022 (30 November – 4 December) aims at ‘rebooting the roots of our relationship with nature and collective structures, ecospheres, and urban contexts’
-
Salon Art + Design 2022: design highlights not to missWallpaper* highlights from Salon Art + Design 2022, New York
-
Design Week Lagos 2022 celebrates creativity and innovation in West Africa and beyondCurated by founder Titi Ogufere, Design Week Lagos 2022 is based on a theme of ‘Beyond The Box’
-
Designart Tokyo transforms the city into a museum of creativityDesignart Tokyo presents global design highlights through a series of exhibitions involving global creative talent and traditional Japanese craft
-
Tom Dixon marks his studio's 20 years with a show of design experimentsMushroom, cork, steel coral and more: Tom Dixon showcases an overview of his design experiments as he celebrates his practice's 20 years
-
Vitra unveils new London home in the Tramshed, ShoreditchLondon Design Festival 2022: after a year-long renovation, Vitra opens the door to its new showroom in the heart of Shoreditch
-
Mudlarking beside the River Thames inspires The New Craftsmen’s makersLondon Design Festival 2022: The New Craftsmen’s new collection, ‘Claylarks’, features work from a group of creatives inspired by a River Thames mudlarking expedition
