ColAAb embraces the fusion of art and furniture at COLLECTIBLE NY's first edition

Fine art gallery ColAAb is a platform for artists to push the boundaries of art and design in their high-end collectible pieces and artworks. The collaborations have resulted in limited edition pieces in various categories such as tables, chairs, lighting fixtures or curtains, all realised with expert craftsmen in France. This relationship between artists and craftspeople, defining ColAAb's vision, was evident in the first edition of COLLECTIBLE New York. The Paris-based gallery expanded its oeuvre of functional objects that straddle art and furniture with six pieces by contemporary artists Morgane Tschiember, Xiaofan Ru and Nicolas Momein.

French artist Morgane Tschiember bridged design and art in the minimalist silhouettes of the Shibari bench and stool design. The two pieces inspired by her residency in Kyoto feature large oak beams from Burgundy wrapped carefully with knotted linen ropes. In the furniture designs, what comes to the fore alongside simplicity is the way things are made and how materials come together—a deliberate revelation by Tschiember.

For the series of lighting windows, Everybody gets lighter, the theme of the window becomes a muse. While representing an opening to the world, the pieces reference the artist's personal history. The light art unveiled pictures taken by the artist from her Parisian apartment, as the subtle gradients guided the viewers through moments in the day and invited meditation.

Nicolas Momein added three lighting designs Bump the Lamp (the Green, the Red, and the Gold) to the ensemble adorning the exhibition space. One of the lamp designs took its position on the floor while the other sat atop a piece of furniture, both nodding to the artist's tubular metal sculptures sewn by 'Bulgomme'—a fabric usually used as a tablecloth due to its stain-resistant and shock-resistant characteristics. The bronze casting replicates the fold patterns of the rubber fabric and the curved forms of the sculpture art protect the light source.

In Xiaofan Ru's work, nature is a recurring motif. Bamboo, a popular subject for artists, poets and philosophers in China, became a muse for the Chinese artist's paintings and sculptures in recent years. The table designs in his sculpture series dubbed La voie d’or embody simplicity and elegance in their lines, reminiscent of bamboo's capacity to bend without breaking and its strength. "The idea is to be inspired by the momentum of the bamboo and to progress in an infinite spiral movement, in harmony with nature and the world. This middle ground is golden in our troubled times and so it is on this philosophical foundation that Xiaofan Ru has named his sculpture series La voie d’or," the official release reads.

ColAAB has become a new hub in Paris for original pieces of functional art created by established contemporary visual artists. The functional objects presented by ColAAB during COLLECTIBLE NY from September 5 - 8, 2024, blurred the boundaries between art and furniture, expressing diverse approaches and thoughts. This synergy rekindles the commonalities and compatibility of art and various disciplines including craft, science, music and design—yielding fresh artistic narratives.