Erwan Boulloud | Touching Time
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Overview
Erwan Boulloud returns to Twenty First with Touching Time, his first solo exhibit in the United States since 2019. It brings together 15 new and recent creations, which further refine, explore and develop concepts and motifs that have become an intrinsic part of his body of work.
The French designer’s inspirations are vast and various. They range from the infinitely small to the infinitely large, from obscure botanical species to medieval jewelry. He avows a particular passion for the passage of time, whether it be ephemeral or eternal, as well as traces of the past. At the heart of his work is a deep-rooted interest in science. Boulloud often looks to astronomical phenomena, such as the origins of creation, the expansion of the universe and the solar system. Moments at the very beginning of time, places where time travels at different speeds.
Like a modern-day alchemist, he transforms each concept into exquisitely crafted objects that are audacious, ingenious and precious. They spark curiosity and wonder and inevitably have rich and captivating stories to tell. “For me, the success of a piece is not just measured by its aesthetic qualities,” states Boulloud, “it must above all be justified by an intellectual approach, the expression of an idea.”
“I appreciate how Erwan’s patterns always have a purpose,” notes Twenty First’s founder and director, Renaud Vuaillat. “There’s nothing random to them. They can be inspired by fascinating stories and mythology, or take the form of ‘mathematical lines’ grounded in a physical phenomenon he has observed. That makes them both intriguing and meaningful.”
For Touching Time, Boulloud not only probes further into his signature topics, but dazzles once again with mastery of materials. He has long had a predilection for metals, such as patinated bronze, stainless steel and brass marquetry. A number of the new designs also feature concrete or burnt wood, and for the very first time, he presents creations — a trio of lamps — made from alabaster. “As a stone, it carries its entire history within it,” notes Boulloud. “It’s the result of a very long process.” A reference to time, once again.
Touching Time will be running during Oui Design! and NYCXDESIGN Festival (May 15-21) and closing May 30.
Exhibition Design by Jean de Piépape
Photography by Arturo Sanchez -
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ARTWORKS
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Erwan BoulloudNoyau Enfilade, 2024 -
Erwan BoulloudAlabaster Table Lamp, 2024
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Erwan BoulloudMultivers Coffee Table, 2024
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Erwan BoulloudMaasai Mirror, 2024
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Erwan BoulloudPezize Sconces, 2024
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Erwan BoulloudRomane Mirror, 2022
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Erwan BoulloudAlabaster Floor Lamp, 2024
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Erwan BoulloudEcailles Enfilade, 2024
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FEATURED ARTIST
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Erwan Boulloud
Born in France in 1973, Erwan Boulloud graduated from Ecole Boulle in 1995, then assisted in the workshops of renowned designers such as Hubert Le Gall and Hervé Van Der Straeten, as well as working at the Louvre, the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM) and the Museum of Natural History as a set designer presenting artworks and artifacts. In 2003, he opened his own studio in Paris, later moving to Montreuil where he works today. His furniture, made in limited numbered editions, fuses a variety of technical processes and aesthetic moods and boasts an ease with a range of high quality materials including wood, bronze, brass, steel, glass, gold leaf, inlaid precious stones, and even preserved exotic butterfly specimens. His showstopping creations don’t adhere to any existing styles, but rather take their direction from Boulloud’s rigorous intellectual quests and artistic determination to distill an idea to its essence. His attention to detail creates hidden delights in every inch of his works, and each piece is a testament to his imaginative vision of decor. From textured surfaces that resemble the carapace of a giant creature, to radiant polished metals and glistening modern Boulle marquetry, Boulloud’s cabinets, tables, mirrors, and seating defy genres and arise from a lineage all their own. His work has been featured in publications including Architectural Digest, Surface, and The Wall Street Journal, and in several exhibitions at Twenty First Gallery.
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PRESS
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