Modern Spaces Editions exhibit intriguing sculptural designs at Maison&Objet 2023

Art and architecture have a profound link that connects them together through their design, designer, and individual interpretations. This integration dates back to the very origins of the discipline however, it took on a new meaning during the avant-garde design movement of the early twentieth century as the most significant defining characteristic of modernism. A manifestation of this harmony has been showcased through ‘Modern Shapes Editions’, offering handcrafted editions of unique sculptural designs which lie at the crossroads of art, architecture, and design by leading international artists - Alban Lanore, David Umemoto, Helen Vergouwen, Denis Castaing, Lucien Petit, Levi Hawken, ABSID, Scott VanderVoort. The artists have brought to fruition the sculptures through similar organising principles, visual elements, and engagement of the senses, moulding the object to visually express a dialogue of ideas to be perceived by the viewer. Each piece stands true to the elegance and refined aesthetics, intimately touching on and interacting closely with these three realms, and is set to showcase at the upcoming Maison&Objet, Paris during Paris Design Week from 19 to 23 January 2023.

Colonne by Alban Lanore

Alban Lanore a self-taught sculptor from France, fascinated by nature’s diverse forms, his work is a combination of abstract and real worlds. ‘Colonne’ renders as an application of human strength on a soft and flexible wood surface creating a geometric abstraction, satiating Lanore’s design approach. The form is carved from sections of tree trunks and charred in contrast to the polished wood.

Stairway by David Umemoto

Canadian artist David Umemoto grasps the line between sculpture and architecture, his work exudes mystery, stimulating the imagination while giving a sense of reflective discipline. ‘Stairway’ available in Mahogany, Sycamore, and Rosewood is an abstract manifestation of regular architectural elements like stairs, walls and arches, where the stairs lead to a void and the walls rise to nothing.

Pipes collection by ABSID

Maximilian Olsson and André Prusic, Swedish artists and architects established ABSID, juxtaposing the use of digital design and manufacturing techniques with traditional crafts bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Pipes collection curates extraordinary hand-carved and shaped mahogany sculptures, rousing the viewer’s curiosity.

Oviod Extrusion collection by Lucien Petit

French sculptor Lucien Petit is formally trained in industrial ceramics. His sculptures are influenced by geometry bearing the hallmarks of avant-garde and brutalism. The monolithic sculptures in the Ovoid Extrusion collection are handcrafted in wood and structured over a foundation of binary opposites, full and empty finished with an austere silhouette and rough surfaces.

KOLOM L by Helen Vergouwen

Dutch sculptor Helen Vergouwen crafts forms that are predominantly geometric designs with a taste of irregular and organic, striking a perfect balance in her sculptures. KOLOM L is a visual amalgamation of opposites, open versus closed and inside versus outside, crafted in wood, this sculptural art is geometric abstract art which is intuitive not calculated.

The above sculptures allow a peek into an abstract lens to view regular architectural principals and elements through an artistic value, blending two distinct yet harmonious worlds into one which lends them perfectly to Modern Shapes Editions' vision of integrating art and architecture through product design in a range of refined and collectable wooden editions.

Modern Shapes Editions will be on display from 19 to 23 January 2023, at Maison&Objet, Paris during the Paris Design Week.

Text by Ria Jha