2019-10-01 Robb Report

GUTTER CREDITS

ROBBREPORT.COM 79

ART & DESIGN | The Goods

“Her pieces are still

very much a part of our

landscape.”

When designer Charlotte Perriand

applied for a studio job in 1927, she

was rejected outright, told only:

“We don’t embroider cushions

here.” Not one to be discouraged,

she landed the role only a month

later with her breakout piece,

Bar Sous le Toit, a design of a

bar setup that’s an homage to the

aesthetic potential of chromed,

tubular steel. A 60-year career

followed, spawning many a now

classic piece: a modular bookshelf,

sling-back chair, chaise longue

and kitchen-bar concept among

them. But while her contributions

to contemporary design were

undoubtedly numerous, today only

a select few know and attribute

them to Perriand.

In the spirit of finally

giving credit where credit is

due, Fondation Louis Vuitton

(fondationlouisvuitton.fr) will

present an exhibition of the late

revolutionary’s work, opening on

October 2. In the main show for

the fall season, the program will

spread Perriand’s designs across

all four of the Paris museum’s

floors and celebrate not only her

individual furnishings but also her

larger art de vivre philosophy,

which draws together the worlds

of architecture, art and design

to create a sense of personal

harmony and well-being. “It was

intimately connected to her life,

her vision of the world and modern

society, and her relationship

to the body and its movement

in a given space,” says curator

Jacques Barsac. “It’s absolutely

contemporary.”

Visitors will walk through

reconstructions of Perriand’s

exhibitions over the years, from

her early collaborations with

architect Le Corbusier (the

one who made the embroidery

comment; he was later persuaded

to reconsider) to the rooms she

curated during her time abroad in

Japan. Each will pair designs with

the sculptures and paintings she

selected to sit alongside them,

creating a dialogue between her

work and that of her peers. The

synthesis invites the viewer to

rethink the role of art and design

in society and, more specifically,

how they can work together to

better our lives and world. “She’s an

ancestor of the modern woman—a

free woman—and her pieces are still

very much a part of our landscape,”

adds Barsac. “People continue

to purchase them without even

knowing they were designed 70, 90

years ago.”Helena Madden

CLOCKWISE FROM

TOP: Charlotte

Perriand’s Tokyo

Chaise Longue,

1940; Salle de

réception, with

Perriand and

Pierre Jeanneret’s

sideboard;

Perriand’s 526

Nuage cabinet,

1952/1956; Air

France office,

London, 1957,

with pieces by

Perriand and other

designers.

The

Art of

Living

The

Art of

Living

ROBBREPORT.COM 79

ART & DESIGN | The Goods

“Herpiecesarestill

verymucha partofour

landscape.”

WhendesignerCharlottePerriand

appliedfora studiojobin 1927,she

wasrejectedoutright,toldonly:

“Wedon’tembroidercushions

here.”Notonetobediscouraged,

shelandedtheroleonlya month

laterwithherbreakoutpiece,

BarSousle Toit,a designofa

barsetupthat’sanhomagetothe

aestheticpotentialofchromed,

tubularsteel.A 60-yearcareer

followed,spawningmanya now

classicpiece:a modularbookshelf,

sling-backchair,chaiselongue

andkitchen-barconceptamong

them.Butwhilehercontributions

tocontemporarydesignwere

undoubtedlynumerous,todayonly

a selectfewknowandattribute

themtoPerriand.

Inthespiritoffinally

givingcreditwherecreditis

due,FondationLouisVuitton

(fondationlouisvuitton.fr)will

presentanexhibitionofthelate

revolutionary’swork,openingon

October2.Inthemainshowfor

thefallseason,theprogramwill

spreadPerriand’sdesignsacross

allfouroftheParismuseum’s

floorsandcelebratenotonlyher

individualfurnishingsbutalsoher

largerartdevivrephilosophy,

whichdrawstogethertheworlds

ofarchitecture,artanddesign

tocreatea senseofpersonal

harmonyandwell-being.“Itwas

intimatelyconnectedtoherlife,

hervisionoftheworldandmodern

society,andherrelationship

tothebodyanditsmovement

in a givenspace,”sayscurator

JacquesBarsac.“It’sabsolutely

contemporary.”

Visitorswillwalkthrough

reconstructionsofPerriand’s

exhibitionsovertheyears,from

herearlycollaborationswith

architectLeCorbusier(the

onewhomadetheembroidery

comment;hewaslaterpersuaded

toreconsider)totheroomsshe

curatedduringhertimeabroadin

Japan.Eachwillpairdesignswith

thesculpturesandpaintingsshe

selectedtositalongsidethem,

creatinga dialoguebetweenher

workandthatofherpeers.The

synthesisinvitestheviewerto

rethinktheroleofartanddesign

in societyand,morespecifically,

howtheycanworktogetherto

betterourlivesandworld.“She’san

ancestorofthemodernwoman—a

freewoman—andherpiecesarestill

verymucha partofourlandscape,”

addsBarsac.“Peoplecontinue

topurchasethemwithouteven

knowingtheyweredesigned70, 90

yearsago.”HelenaMadden

CLOCKWISE FROM

TOP: Charlotte

Perriand’s Tokyo

Chaise Longue,

1940; Salle de

réception, with

Perriand and

Pierre Jeanneret’s

sideboard;

Perriand’s 526

Nuage cabinet,

1952/1956; Air

France office,

London, 1957,

with pieces by

Perriand and other

designers.

f

g

The

Art of

Living