A Barrage of Bouroullec

My mellow mannered bearded Parisian bro, Erwan Bouroullec, would not normally come off as someone who would have anything to do with the palace of Versailles. He and his brother Ronan have won a competition to design a permanent addition to the glorious Gabriel staircase inside the palace. They have yet to announce the piece, but I'll keep you posted. The staircase was originally designed in 1772 by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, yet was only completed in 1985.

The Gabriel staircase that leads to the royal apartments in the palace of Versailles

Also, they curently have a retrospective featuring the last 10 years of their work at the Pompidou-Metz in the alsatian region of France. It's a huge deal for them as they were also named designers of the year by the Maison & Objet trade show this year. All this while still young and have so much ahead. So much is happening for these guys. Im very proud of Erwan and his work because he takes inspiration from the best source: nature.  He's a gentle soul with a timeless vision and a great sense of humor.

Adrian helps produce various pieces of the Bouroullec's for furniture exhibitions at Gallery Kreo. Adrian says " ...I always enjoy working on Bouroullec pieces. They have a natural quality almost like a plant or animal, and when working on them in close proximity you can feel their character, the affect they have in your personal space."

 Erwan and Adrian contemplating Californian art at a show I recently appeared in and organized at OFR Bookstore here in Paris

The brothers are originally from Quimper, a town in the north west region of Brittany, France. Adrian and I explored Brittany last summer with native Bretonne, chanteuse and friend Hélène Renaut, who showed us what eating fresh caught Mackerel is all about. The region has serene beaches, salty sea folk and a chill countryside vibe. I will post a full report on the area on our sister site, the Trail of Crumbs, shortly. 

Here are a few Bouroullec pieces that I'm into:

Ploum 2011

Couch produced by Ligne Roset, France 

Erwan B. describes this piece is "... like a ripe, voluptuous piece of fruit."

Pico 2011
Unglazed homogeneous porcelain stoneware, tiles produced by Mutina, Italy

Lighthouse 2010
Hand blown Venini Murano glass, marble, aluminum, lamp produced by Established & Sons

Vegetal chair 2009, Injected polyamide,  produced by Vitra, Switzerland

Bouroullec drawings that sprouted the chair

A video about the Vegetal chair

Slow Chair 2007
Knitted textile, tubular structure and cushions, produced by Vitra, Switzerland


Floating house 2006

Studio for resident artists in the CNEAI - Centre National de l'estampe et de l'art imprimé. Conceived together with Jean-Marie Finot and Denis Daversin, architects

Images courtesy of Bouroullec

Imaginary Album

We drove north yesterday to see the sea. While cruising around the harbor of Honfleur, I walked with a gasoline slick shape for a while. This is it.  Even though it's a toxic floater, I was struck by it's trippy beauty. I sort of love it as an album cover image. I like making graphic designs using my camera as the tool.

Michelle

During our annual September photo shoot with singer-songwriter, Michelle Schmitt, we visited Versailles for the palatial light and basked in the sunset magic during a boat ride down the river Seine. What started as a professional relationship, has organically evolved into a deep friendship. I love when that happens.

Me on Design Sponge

The nice ladies over at Design Sponge featured us and our Paris apartment in this weeks "Sneak Peak" column... So fun! Click on the below image to jump over there for a quick looky look.

Next Show: CaliforNoyers

In the magical medieval village of Noyers-sur-Serein, there is an art center opening on September 10th with a group exhibition featuring many mediums and artists from California. Adrian and I are two of the artists.

CaliforNoyers, curated by Rod DeWeese, is the inaugural exhibition for the La Porte Peinte Centre Pour Les Arts. It will bring together 10 California-based artists working in various mediums to engage, explore, create and collaborate with the local community to bring a deeper awareness of the commonalities and cultural similarities that link these seemingly disparate places. The show will be preceded by a three-week residency at the Porte Peinte.

Many of the artists are there now working on the show to allow for an organic, site specific process. It promises to be a weekend full of friends and visitors from far away, enchanting the village with new work to view and stories to share.

If any of you care to join in the festivities, there are a few charming b&b's and guest houses around the village. The accommodations are listed here. Our friend, Pierre Paillot and his family, also run a lovely wine store (he can advise you on incredible local wines) , butcher shop ( featuring local and homemade charcuterie amoung other treasures), and a restaurant. There are some interesting spots to check out in the region like the Fabuloserie, Musée Colette, a Sound Museum, A Medieval Castle getting rebuilt using all traditional methods, Musée de Laduz, La Métairie Bruyere Graphic Arts Centre, the list goes one and on. Not to mention stellar wineries very close by.

Noyers is a 2 hours drive from Paris, or you can take the local Burgundy line that has several departures per day, and get off in Tonnerre. From there it's a 15 minute taxi ride. Here is the number for a cab in Tonnerre that you could call: 03 86 54 45 40 .  

PR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

La Porte Peinte Centre pour les Arts is pleased to announce its inaugural exhibition, CALIFORNOYERS, opening on September 10, 2011.

La Porte Peinte Centre pour les Arts, founded by Michelle Anderson Binczak and Hiro Ota, is an international arts centre based in Noyers sur Serein, a remarkable medieval village in Burgundy. Housed in a stunning, labyrinthine medieval building that has been featured in numerous films including La Grande Vadrouille, the centre will offer opportunities for creative exploration and exchange in an inspiring, peaceful environment. The village is classified as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Villages in France: its fairy-tale towers, ramparts, and half-timbered houses nestle against the banks of the Serein as it winds its tranquil way through the wheat fields and vineyards of northern Burgundy. Within this enchanting setting, La Porte Peinte will offer a gallery, atelier spaces, workshop spaces, event spaces, a tea room, and accommodations for artists, makers, and writers in residence.

The Centre’s inaugural exhibition, CALIFORNOYERS, features work by artists from both California and Noyers, much of it developed during a two week residency for the California artists at La Porte Peinte.

During the residency each artist has created work inspired by the local landscape, reflecting on the natural and cultural diversity of the region as well as on commonalities linking both places. Their work reflects the changing moods in California that are leading people to consider simpler and more sustainable lifestyles, an abiding way of life in many parts of rural France. Along with such concerns, the artists interrogate cultural perspectives on landscape and habitat, plants and animals, time and place, decay and renewal.  

The exhibition was conceived and curated by California born Noyers resident Rod DeWeese, as a way to bring his two seemingly disparate worlds together through artistic collaboration and dialogue. The exhibition will continue to evolve over the months to come, as new artists pass through La Porte Peinte contributing new ideas and concepts.

The exhibtion is further described at www.laportepeinte.com.

Japan Show

I'm currently in a show in Tokyo with some of my favorite artists and friends. Wish I was there.

Mollusk's First Show in Europe

Here are some photos from the opening night of the " West Coast Pop Art Experimental Group" show I organized: 

Kyle Field

Nat Russell

Orion Sheperd

Alex Kopps

Johanna St. Clair

My sister, Simone Rubi, played a magical set of music along with Adrian on bass and Ludwig Dahlberg on drums. In the background there was a video of the coastline shot by Simone on the road between Santa Barbara and Malibu. The projector's light mimicked the sun behind the screen. Epic.

Simone, Ludwig and Adrian taking us on a magical carpet ride

Nat Russell

Jeff Canham

Alberto Cuadros

(left to right) D. Rubi, Rachel Corry, Rachel Kaye

David & Cheri, Hannes Hetta, Mary Rozzi, Hélène Sevaux and other buds

Show curated by John McCambridge, founder of Mollusk Surf Shop and Gallery.

The show will be up at OFR Galerie until June 19th.

For titles, prices, and press release go here

For purchasing work, contact OFR Galerie here

Upcoming Exhibition in Paris

Mollusk Surf Shop is proud to present, for the first time in France, an exhibition of colorful work from twelve American artists. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Group carries with it the spirit of Mollusk, an intersecting network of personalities artistic and otherwise. Over the last six years Mollusk has collected a healthy network of creative types, ranging from self learned Deadheads and Dan fans to classically trained fine artists and designers; all participating in the magical experience expressed through the various images on view in the OFR Galerie.

Bring forth the mollusk, cast unto me. Lets be forever, forever be free


With work from:

Alex Kopps
Alberto Cuadros
Danielle Rubi
Jay Nelson
Jeff Canham
Johanna St. Clair
Kanoa Zimmerman
Nathaniel Russel
Kyle Field
Rachel Corry
Orion Shepherd
Rachel Kaye

Organized by Danielle Rubi
Curated by John McCambridge

On view June 14th- June 20th, 2011

Opening reception June 14th, 6 - 9 pm. Live music by Simone Rubi ( Rubies ) with Adrian Rubi-Dentzel on bass, Ludwig Dahlberg on drums and lots of surprises.

OFR Galerie and Librarie
20, rue Dupetit-Thouars (Carreau du Temple)
75003 Paris

WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE!  Please come.

After party at Candelaria

xo

My Work on Tiny Vices

Tim Barber's online photography gallery, tiny vices, published a collection of my work recently. To find my photos, scroll about half way down the site's page.

My Paris Rooftop

Don't let living on the top floor of an apartment building stop you from growing food.

This buddy was built for free using a bunch of pallet wood lying in the street. Now we have kale, herbs and Mexican chilis beginning to grow. I miss California a tiny bit less now.