Art Deco MASTERPIECES

Transcription

1 Art Deco MASTERPIECES Alberto GIACOMETTII Diego GIACOMETTII Emile-Jacques RUHLMANN Jean-Michel FRANK Eugene PRINTZ DOMINIQUE Jean DUNAND Marc DU PLANTIER Paul DUPRE-LAFON Emile-Jacques RUHLMANN ( ) Two-tier console Makassar ebony Dimensions : Height: 95 cm / Width: 140 cm / Depth: 52 cm July 2 August 15, 2010 Exhibition Information Duration: July 2 (Fri) to August 15 (Sun) Place: Kukje Gallery, K2 (Tel ) Opening Time: Monday-Saturday: 10am-6pm, Sunday: 10am-5pm 1

2 Exhibition Introduction Kukje Gallery presents Art Deco Masterpieces, introducing an extensive collection of key furniture and interior pieces by the most prominent designers of Art Deco for the first time in Korea. Centered in France, Art Deco was an international art design movement of 1920s and 30s. Its style was the culmination of high-end modern luxury in Paris. Its elegant, glamorous yet functional and modern style spread quickly to the rest of the Europe and the United States. Art Deco affected all areas of art, from architecture, interior design to paintings and even film and could be seen as the precursor of modernism. The furniture and interior pieces introduced in this exhibition embody the epitome of the worldrenowned, leading figures of Art Deco at its peak. One of the most acclaimed furniture and interior designer of Art Deco is Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, presented in this exhibition. Made from the most exotic and rare wood to the highest possible standard, his secretaire suggests great refinement of taste and superior craftsmanship. It s simple, elegant and dignified design is typical of Ruhlmann. Jean-Michel Frank s parchment cabinet equally evokes a sense of exquisitely well-balanced modern luxury. Frank s exuberant yet simple designs reveal impeccably embellished surfaces made of exotic, rare and unexpected materials such as parchment, shagreen(shark skin) and even straw. Similarly, Eugene Printz and Dominique s furniture and interior designs recreate the opulent lifestyles of the Art Deco patrons who could pursue such luxury at the time of war. Celebrated for his immaculate lacquer work, Jean Dunand s vases are also showcased in this exhibition. Like his contemporaries, Dunand was committed to exploring exotic and avant-garde materials and superior craftsmanship. Paired with Art Deco furniture, interior designs are Giacometti brother s sculptural tables and lamps. Their work resists easy categorization. However, their work represents a fine balance between art and design, emotional expression and functional aesthetic. Art Deco Masterpieces presents an unprecedented rare opportunity to see such an extensive collection of Art Deco masterpieces in one exhibition. Furniture especially by Ruhlmann and Frank are still much sought after by collectors, thus is rarely seen together in one space in such a great number, not only in Asia but also around the world. The furniture and interior pieces presented in the exhibition recreate the lifestyles of the most privileged and the political and cultural complexities of 1920s and 30s under a collective style now known to us as Art Deco. 2

3 Artists Introduction Émile-Jacques RUHLMANN (August 1879 November 1933) Now considered to be the epitome of Art Deco style in its finest expression, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann was born in Paris, in Ruhlmann developed interest in furniture design while working for his father s general decorating business. In 1907, after his father death, he took over the family business and continued the firm s previous trade and set aside special facilities for his growing interest in furniture design. His first debut furniture designs were shown at the 1913 Salon d Automne. Only a few months later, the WWI broke out. However, on the contrary to most other his contemporaries, this period provided him with opportunities to refine his furniture design. In fact, some of his masterpieces were produced during this time. Ruhlmann was an ardent traditionalist; his designs were inspired by the eighteenth century masterpieces. He kept his forms elegant and simple. His sophisticated designs were produced using only the rarest and most exquisite materials. Deep and rich colors of palisander, amaranth, macassar ebony and Cuban mahogany were contrasted with inlaid ivory, tortoise shell or horn. Some designs were embellished with leather, galuchat (sharkskin) or parchment paneling. A simple fact that he used the most exotic materials for his furniture designs during the war hint at the long list of privileged clientele he had. Ruhlmann entered the 1925 Exposition and proved to the rest of the world his superiority. Called a Residence for a Rich (Art) Collector, attracted hundreds and thousands of visitors to his pavilion. Already a well established celebrity gained an overnight success and was catapulted to the forefront of the modern French decorative arts movement. 3

4 Artists Introduction Jean-Michel FRANK (February 1895 March 1941) Jean-Michel Frank was known for minimalist interiors decorated with simple-lined but sophisticated furniture made of luxurious materials, such as shagreen, mica, vellum, parchment, and gypsum. Born in Paris to a German Jew, Jean-Michel Frank experienced early hardship. His two brothers were killed in the war and his father ended his life prematurely. His mother, grieve-stricken, died early in 1919 leaving Jean-Michel Frank with a substantial inheritance. At the beginning of 1920, Frank spent some years travelling extensively and establishing himself in Paris s fashionable inner circle, a milieu which served him well later in his decorating business. His well-established collaborators include the brothers of Alberto and Diego Giacometti (light fixtures, vases, andirons, and chimneys), Salvador Dali (furniture and screen), and Picasso (screen and fabrics), not to mention Hermes for leather. Frank s style evolved from late-eighteenth century tradition. Frank s designs are well known for highly distinctive stiff but functionally well proportioned simple lines. He strictly limited decoration to flat surfaces and was faithful to the principles of refinement and luxury. A few well-established clients, such as the Rockefellers and Guerlains suggest the other wellpublicized and private clients who trusted Frank to do their interiors. Alberto GIACOMETTI (Oct 1901 January 1966) Diego GiIACOMETTI ( ) Born to a well-known Post-Impressionist painter father, Giovanni Giacometti, Alberto was the eldest of four children. Alberto and Diego were especially close to each other. They even shared the same sculpture studio in Paris and it makes it difficult to distinguish the work of Diego from that of Alberto. While studying under the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, an associate of Auguste Rodin, Alberto experimented with Cubism and surrealism. He is now regarded as one of the key player in the surrealist movement. Some of his well-known associates were Joan Miro, Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso and Balthus. Alberto Giacometti s sculptures are characterized by the severely attenuated forms and his work resists easy categorization. Diego first introduced animals into his sculptures during World War II. Animals usually adorn his works, such as the Table arbre a la souris(tree table with mouse). Diego s animal art symbolized force, vitality and sensitivity such as the heads of lions, wolves and horses. Like his older brother, 4

5 Diego also used bronze which allowed him to sculpt in greater detail. As talented he was, however, Diego became more widely recognized as an important artist only after the death of Alberto in He worked with decorators such as Georges Geffroy and did ensembles for public projects such as the Chagall Museum in Nice, and the Picasso Museum in Paris. 5

6 Exhibition Images & Captions Use of images must clearly credit and other relevant parties. Emile-Jacques RUHLMANN ( ) Two-tier console Makassar ebony Dimensions : Height: 95 cm / Width: 140 cm / Depth: 52 cm Emile-Jacques RUHLMANN ( ) Bookcase, (Caissons bibliotheque) Makassar ebony, chromium-plated bronze, glass Circa 1929 Dimensions as presented: 160 (h) x 139 (w) x 27.5 (d) cm Dimensions for one module: 29 (h) x 27 (w) x 46.5 (d) cm 6

7 Exhibition Images & Captions Use of images must clearly credit and other relevant parties. DOMINIQUE Maison fondée en Alain DOMIN ( ) et Marcel GENEVRIERE ( ) Gaming table Palissander, ebony, shagreen Dimensions : Height: 57 cm / Top : 69 cm x 69 cm DOMINIQUE Maison fondée en Alain DOMIN ( ) et Marcel GENEVRIERE ( ) Cabinet en kekwood Decorative table in kekwood veneer Dimensions: Height: in. / Width: in / Depth : 25cm 7

8 Exhibition Images & Captions Use of images must clearly credit and other relevant parties. Eugène PRINTZ ( ) Paire de lampadaires en acajou A mahogany from Cuba floor lamps, five bronze rings, metal Dimensions : Height: 178 cm / Diameter: 53 cm / Diameter: 46 cm Marc DU PLANTIER ( ) Sideboard (Meuble d'appui) Antique green patina parchment, oak interior, brass handles, brass base, ornamentals effects in golden terra-cotta dated: Dimensions: 105 (h) x 120 (l) x 40.5 (w) cm 8