For the 2015 European Artistic Crafts Days, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is showing the ground-breaking Mutations exhibition.

 

Organised by the Institut National des Métiers d’Art (INMA) in partnership with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Mutations was conceived as a manifesto highlighting the respective histories of these two institutions and that of the artistic crafts.

Pursing the tradition of the great patrons, the creation of the contemporary objects was made possible by the generous support of the watchmakers Vacheron Constantin.

 

Taking a selection of emblematic objects from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and focussing on the “Artistic Crafts” goblet created by the silversmith Lucien Falize in 1896, Mutations asked craft collectives, artisans, designers and artists to reuse

the range of techniques and materials comprising this symbolic object. Stone, clay, wood, glass, leather, paper, metal and textiles are treated as pretexts for confronting the emblematic creations produced by these collectives with each of the fundamental concepts inherent in the artistic crafts. From material to creation, the skills involved, the object’s use, form, decoration and the evocation of the senses are treated as chapters in the constant mutation of the object and the artistic crafts. These concepts and their principles are explored from room to room, in which contemporary creations are shown alongside the historic objects that inspired them. Exploring these evolutions, each space is treated as a laboratory of research, innovation and experimentation, with videos showing the creation of the contemporary object and emphasizing the indestructible link between thought and gesture.

 

Robert Jallet, menuisier en sièges

Frédéric Gallin, canneur-rempailleur

Chêne, hêtre, canne de rotin

Design Vaulot & Dyevre

  1. 117 cm ; l. 42 cm ; L. 95 cm

 

  • Project type Furniture
  • Client: Les Arts Décoratifs + INMA + Vacheron Constantin
  • Year: 2015
  • Photography: Felipe Ribon