Jeff Koons - Banality Series
Like many luxury
brands celebrating a landmark anniversary, art collaboration remains an
attractive currency that has evolved into somewhat of a default go-to within
the walls of luxury PR in recent years. The benefits of art association are win-win
for both brand and customer, and let’s not forget the artist whose portfolio as
a result is able to span accessibility no matter how many zeros one has in
their bank account.
France’s premier porcelain manufacturer Bernardaud marks their 150th Anniversary this year by commissioning an eclectic group of international creatives to design a collection of plates for L’Art de la Table. The roster of French and international artists, filmmakers and photographers include: Jean-Michel Alberola, Marco Brambilla, Sophie Calle, Fassianos, Jeff Koons, Michael Lin, David Lynch, Marlène Mocquet, Nabil Nahas, Prune Nourry & JR and Sarkis.
Fassianos - Alexandre and Bucephale
Art’s exploration into homewares is not entirely unfamiliar with the likes of Damien Hirst’s publishing company and commercial platform, Other Criteria, already producing espresso cups by the artist (Money Maker, April 2012) and other products designed by his contemporaries such as Mat Collishaw, Eduardo Sarabia and Cindy Sherman (Tea With Cindy, April 2010). What is hanging on the white cube walls of a gallery is now available to enjoy on the white crisp linen of one’s dinner table. What better after-dinner surprise could there be once guests clean up their haute cuisine to find haute art on their plate and fundamentally, the oh-so haute taste of their host? French artist Sophie Colle admits,
“I enjoy eating out of other people’s plates because I always get the impression that what they have is better.”
Prune Nourry & JR - I'm Not In My Plate
For the luxury house’s anniversary, Koons delves deep into his archives of kitsch and sources imagery from his controversial Banality series - first released as sculptures made from porcelain in 1988 - to speak of the material’s historic journey; from it’s empirical status through to its democratisation for the masses. Photographer and graffiti artist JR works with emerging artist Prune Nourry on black and white images of hands – "a man's most essential tool" – on the front and reverse of the plate that results in a contemporary illusion ideal for dinner talk. Calle creates a new work titled Le Porc (The Pig) for a six-piece set that depicts a narrative across the collection. Calle explains,
“What I really like about these plates is creating a sort of ritual to make people's life complicated. People have to sit in order, there have to be six at the table and breaking a plate becomes a no-no.”
David Lynch - 12 ...and the boundless sea - holding it all
Lynch continues with the theme of narrative from plate to plate in his story the Boundless Sea. The darkest expression of the commissions, the twelve-piece set is undoubtedly Lynchian, with the filmmaker himself confessing his pleasure in their abstract turn out,
“My drawings are so beautifully captured, it makes me feel there is more room for experimentation.”
In times when it seems everyone documents every morsel of food on a plate before eating, Bernarduaud proves what lies beneath is equally photo worthy.
Sophie Calle - Le Porc
The
collections retail from $460.00 for a six-piece set in editions in French and
English by Calle to $1180.00 for a twelve-piece set by Lynch. For further
details visit Bernardaud’s boutiques in France, New York and Chicago or visit
the L’Art de la Table website for specifications and E-Shop.
Images courtesy of Bernardaud
.
