Filling the voids with Marie Dessuant!
Auteur : Ariane | 07-31-2011
Her first inspirations came from her childhood and the vacant lots where she used to play in the 20th arrondissement in Paris ; spaces of freedom, places of daydreams, ephemeral playgrounds. Marie often thinks back to these times throughout our conversation. We are just missing the sound to further materialize the images as she describes her life story ...
This young 2008 graduate of the Ecole Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in Strasbourg has wasted no time! Her work as a Designer based on ‘wandering in daily life’ completely seduced me. Not only has the subject of her memoir been praised by a jury, but she has also been able to continue enriching it.
The art direction projects that she led between 2006 and 2008 in Shanghai for the design agencies Naço Design and EXH, allow her to nourish the theme of her own design approach where the concept of empty and full detach themselves. It draws on the subject, pieces of conversation of their Asian counterparts ...
«In the void is where the essential lies» or «it is not the vase that is important but the emptiness that it contains» ...
Marie’s talents in graphic arts and her artistic outlook contribute to the communication campaign and Christmas décor for approximately 600 Adidas stores in China, defending the concept in a country where Christmas does not exist!
Adidas Xmas : projet crée pour Naço Shanghai / Adidas Performance • 2006 •
Between her two professional experiences her collection «Vague Objects» went from a drawing on paper to a realization...
Cinna, a furniture manufacturer, responded to her proposal «the corner shelf,» that she presented at the young talent contest and was awarded the 2010 award of «revealing of talents». She was the first female winner!
Personally I like «Duvet», which is part of this collection. It is a meeting between a duvet, a pillow and a kimono ... Marie focused on the cozy and versatile aspect for the user, over / in, without compromising the space intended for it and the primitive idea of animal skin enveloping, comforting ... «Duvet» is installed anywhere and at any time - when taking a break, a pause to escape ..
Duvet : Coton, ouatine • 220 x 200 x 5 cm • 2008 collection objets vagues
Other projects are in production from this same collection, the list is long but we, at Cocotte, know how to keep a secret!
I could go on, as there is so much to say about her, but rather lets appreciate these responses directly from Marie during the interview.
Your career, what made you choose to evolve in the field of design?
I’ve always been interested in lots of different things (furniture, objects, spaces, drawings, photographs, video, installations ...). Design is the meeting point of all these interests, a vast playground. For me, it represents a kind of experiment of reality and everyday life.
What did you take from your early experiences?
Interesting meetings with: artisans, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, academics, graphic designers, photographers, designers ... but also places, travel.
The idea of the corner shelf, for example? Does it have a story?
The shelf is from the vague object collection (a reflection on wandering in the daily life).
With this collection, I am particularly interested in the limits of objects, areas of hesitation, the intermediate spaces that allow the interpretation and usage to the user. In deviating from traditional typologies and functions, these objects introduce doubt in the user. They constitute a breach towards straying. Wandering is not obvious or immediate, it is what one might call the B-side of the object.
Between microarchitecture and furniture, this corner shelf is situated between two walls, marking a significant area in the house (an encounter between two walls, a kind of border). Objects can be stored more or less exposed or hidden. On top of a ladder is a cabinet of curiosities. This ladder creates a void, a respiration, and also allows easy access to flip through a book, for example.
Cinna trusted me when very few manufacturers in France, with such know-how, trust young designers.
Étagère de coin : Bois Peint • 75 x 90 x 210 cm • 2008 collection objets vagues, “révélateur de talents 2010” • Édition 2011 Cinna, Ligne Roset
Your installation and experiments as a resident at La Fabrica?
La Fabrica is a great place helping young designers, graphic designers, photographers, video artists from around the world to realize individual or collective projects. Since my arrival, I have created «Near the swimming pool», a bench for the Benetton showroom in Milan, «Balance» an object made of blown glass and oak in collaboration with the gallery Secondome, «Soft Fold» a cabin as a rest break in collaboration with Margaux Keller, «Wanted Creativity» an installation for the magazine Colors ...
Fabrica also allows me to show my work at events like the Milan Furniture Fair and exhibitions such as I am now at the Museum of Grand Hornu in Belgium.
Until October 23, 2011 «favorite things» presents a collection of 15 pieces of furniture designed by the design team Fabrica, following a workshop in the Grand Hornu. Each is inspired by the stories told by those that bring to life this fabulous museum.
All the elements were made by the technical team of the ASBL Grand Hornu.
Near de swimming pool : métal laqué blanc • 200 x 44 x 80 cm • 2011
• Fabrica Éditions •
©Gustavo Millon
Balance : verre soufflé, chêne • 53.5 x 53.5 x 100.3 cm • 2011
• Secondome gallery •
©Gustavo Millon
Fabrica wanted creativity • Installation 2011 • projet créé pour Fabrica /Colors magazine •
©Gustavo Millon
Your steps in creating?
Working in terms of collections is really stimulating. Sometimes I leave a place, as it conveys a like idea or atmosphere. I take photos, I draw, write and a theme becomes the engine to design a collection. A coherent whole, the parts that respond to each other, but also work individually. The creative process for me is a delicate balance between instinct and thought.
How would you define your writing?
I try as I told you to work from concepts without losing the instinctive approach of the project.
I see the design as an approach to the things around us, a way to see and make visible. In addition to the forms, I seek to develop new uses. With these new typologies or changing some details of traditional object, I try not to impose something to the user, i try not to say too much, not to be narrative. My projects bring about questions rather than solutions.
What do you think is the role of women in the decoration?
In design and as in many other areas, there are many girls at school but unfortunately there are fewer making a career in design. However, I think, that things are evolving.
Bow Window
Which artists inspire you?
Writers like Charles Bukowski or Jun’ichir Tanizaki, painters like Peter Doig and Frank Bragigand, directors like Tarkovsky or Takeshi Kitano, artists like Olafur Eliasson and Mathieu Mercier, photographers like Steven Shore and Raymond Depardon ... the list may be long and it is often changed.
Places that affect you?
I love to walk in my childhood neighborhood, the 20th arrondissement in Paris. Even if the city has changed dramatically and loses more and more it blue-collar side, I still really attached to it.
Your musts when it comes to decoration?
Everything is different depending on its context.
If you were a place?
A wasteland
If you were a color?
Difficult question. I think I would change every day.
If you were a piece of furniture?
Something between a samovar and a ladder.
A favorite object?
It’s pretty funny that you ask this question because I have just worked for six months with the Fabrica on an exhibition for the Grand Hornu (amazing design museum in Belgium) where we have created a collection of 15 pieces of furniture. And as a starting point, we asked the question «what is your favorite object» to the various team members of the Grand Hornu.
And during these six months, I have did not stop saying to myself that this question is really tricky, especially for a designer ...
Describe your ideal house?
Bright and spacious
What is your dream project, a creation that you would like to do?
I would like to continue to research, experiment, take risks, and amuse others...
Thank you Marie, and we’ll see you soon!
Marie DESSUANT
product & space designer
marie.dessuant@gmail.com
www.mariedessuant.com
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