innerspace | interior design blog: art | chamberlain

you may think of jean prouvé (1901-1984) as a mid-century french furniture designer. the standard chair, which he designed during the 1930's, is a modern classic that is now produced by vitra.

jean prouvé | standard chair | circa 1950 | laffanour galerie downtown/paris | paris, france

photo credit 1st dibs

for the standard chair, prouvé designed a metal frame, with tubular front legs and tailfin shaped back legs. he fabricated the hollow frame from sheets of steel, a thin but strong material that is commonly used in the automobile industry.

you may also know that jean prouvé was an architect. he believed that:

'in their construction there is no difference between furniture and buildings.'

-jean prouvé

both the furniture and the buildings that he designed used similar construction systems. as a result, both could be easily modified, moved, or dismantled.

jean prouvé | deconstructed standard chair | circa 1950

photo credit the row on instagram

two of prouvé's demountable buildings were exhibited at design miami and design miami/basel in 2013 and 2014 by paris dealer, galerie patrick seguin.

from 27 february-4 april 2015, galerie patrick seguin is exhibiting two more in collaboration with gagosian gallery in new york.

at gagosian, both buildings are surrounded by and filled with john chamberlain (1927-2011) sculptures.

chamberlain's sculptures are constructed from salvaged automobile parts. tailfins, fenders, and hoods that he bent, crushed, twisted, welded, and painted.

'the mangle is the message.'

-john chamberlain

john chamberlain | constantpunchline | 2008

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace

do you think that the demountable structures and the mangled metal sculptures are a dynamic juxtaposition?

jean prouvé | demountable house portal frames
photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace

jean prouvé | model | demountable offices for ferembal | nancy, france | 1948

bent steel frame with five axial portal frames set on a pressed steel floor
held together by ridge beams, which support the purlins and aluminum roofing slabs
facade constructed of prefabricated double sided wood panels, which slot together interchangeably
structure rescued from the demolition of the fermebal site in 1983
adapted by french architect, jean nouvel

photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace