French style has a reputation for looking effortless — and the frustrating thing is that the reputation is fairly accurate. There’s a consistent quality to the way French women dress that has nothing to do with following trends and everything to do with having a small number of pieces that work well together.
The frame of André Dubreuil’s Spine Chair (1986) is constructed from five steel rods, each shaped by hand in a vice or jig and joined with visible welds. Lengths of flattened iron tubing — purchased flat and then formed in the workshop — are openly attached to the frame, with the marks of manufacture intentionally displayed rather than concealed. This emphasis on process reflects Dubreuil’s rejection of modernist ideals of seamless perfection in favor of material honesty and expressive construction. Continue reading Eye On Design: Spine Chair By Andre Dubreuil→
Winter in New York can feel long, gray, and a little joy-starved — which is exactly why Mr. Pink feels like such a gift right now. Scattered throughout the Flatiron and NoMad neighborhoods, this exuberant public art installation features ten oversized pink sculptures by French artist Philippe Katerine, turning everyday city streets into moments of surprise, delight, and pure visual cheer. You can’t even imagine how hard I squealed when I saw my first Mr. Pink sculpture perched above the Kew Management Building (above) located on Broadway between 25th and 26th Streets. I knew immediately that I must track them all down. Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Mr. Pink Takes Over Flatiron and NoMad→
If you ever needed proof that mid-century design could be both playful and rigorously modern, look no further than this striking 1955 low table by French designer Alain Richard. Seen here in all its angular glory, the piece showcases Richard’s talent for balancing clean geometry with expressive surfaces — a combination that helped define French post-war modernism. Continue reading Eye On Design: Alain Richard’s 1955 Color-Blocked Low Table→
Snake Mirror II is a mesmerizing sculptural mirror by French artist and glass alchemist Nathalie Ziegler, and part of her ongoing series of serpentine mirrors. Born in Paris in 1970 and entirely self-taught in the demanding art of glass sculpture, Ziegler has carved out a singular niche in contemporary design by fusing traditional craftsmanship with a highly personal, nature-driven mythology. Continue reading Eye On Design: Snake Mirror II By Nathalie Ziegler→
