When I was first introduced to the art furniture by French maker/designer Erwan Boulloud, I was immediately thinking of André-Charles Boulle, the most legendary French cabinetmaker who worked with brass and other metals when creating furniture for his most famous client, the Sun King, Louis XIV. I was not surprised therefore, when meeting Boulloud this morning for the occasion of his first US solo show, ‘Evolution’ at Twenty First Gallery, that he is a graduate from École Boulle, the Parisian college of arts and crafts, named after the 17th-century artist, where his legacy is taught to this day.
Evolution by Erwan Boulloud
September 17, 2019
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FEATURED & RELATED ARTWORKS
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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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