Marie & Alexandre - Iris

This exhibition centered on mirrors is the second chapter of the cycle initiated with Horizon, dedicated to lighting. The search for balance between full and empty and antagonistic forces is confirmed in this new series.

The iris, invoked in the title of the exhibition, represents the unique code of distinction of each individual and adaptation of the eye to its luminous environment.

Marie & Alexandre abolish the usual relationship established by the mirror with the living. The sense of vision is solicited but a rhythmic of a rather musical nature formally imposes itself. A vertical order gives an impression of flatness to this score and thus blurs the three-dimensional perception of their work as long as it is not crossed. The mirror-matter retains an obvious place but the mirror-object does not impose itself in its usual use. It does not encourage looking at it searching for a reflection. A sense of rhythm is palpable in each of the freestanding, wall-mounted and suspended compositions. They unfold through the interweaving of geometric shapes and detached elements, in counterpoint to the large ensembles.

The absence of continuous frames decenters the attention, lightens the mirror from its main destination initially defined in its use: to faithfully reflect what is presented to it. Everything brings the gaze and the individual to move. The eye wanders randomly through the landscape of indistinct clays and lavas with frank and contrasting colors, in the calm or animated reflection of the mirror, or even through the two-way glass as in a window.

When they are brought together, the variations of sizes, shapes, tones, intensities are harmonious and each piece of mirror-material beats a pace and allows us to discover an urban landscape which unrolls a succession of imaginary skyscrapers in which the mirror-object is not central. By its polysemy, the mirror thus redefined fits as much in a context of use as in its absence.

In collaboration with:

Jean-Marie Foubert ceramist in Burgundy

Christophe Saba glassmaker in Biot

Alain Vagh tile factory in Salernes

Forewords by Graziella Semerciyan

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Cette exposition consacrée au miroir est le deuxième volet du cycle entamé avec Horizon, dédié au luminaire. La recherche de l’équilibre entre le plein et le vide et les forces antagonistes se confirme dans cette nouvelle série.

L’iris, invoqué dans le titre de cette exposition, représente ce code unique de distinction de chaque individu et d’adaptation de l’œil à son environnement lumineux.

Marie & Alexandre abolissent le rapport habituel qu’instaure le miroir avec le vivant. Le sens de la vision est sollicité mais une rythmique de nature plutôt musicale s’impose par ses formes. Un ordre vertical donne une impression de planéité à cette partition et brouille ainsi la perception tridimensionnelle de leur oeuvre tant qu’elle n’est pas traversée. Le miroir-matière conserve une place évidente mais le miroir-objet ne s’impose pas dans son usage habituel. Il n’incite pas à le regarder pour y chercher un reflet. Une sensation de rythme est palpable dans chacune des compositions autoportantes, murales et suspendues. Elles se déploient par l’imbrication de formes géométriques et par des éléments détachés, en contrepoint des grands ensembles.

L’absence d’encadrements continus décentre l’attention, allège le miroir de sa destination principale initialement définie dans un usage : refléter fidèlement ce qui lui est présenté. Tout porte le regard et l’individu à se déplacer. L’œil se promène de manière aléatoire dans le paysage des terres et laves indistinctes aux couleurs franches et contrastées, dans le reflet calme ou animé du miroir, ou même à travers le verre sans tain comme dans une vitre.

Lorsqu’ils sont réunis, les variations de tailles, formes, tons, intensités sont harmonieuses et chaque morceau de miroir-matière bat la mesure et permet de découvrir un paysage urbain qui déroule une succession de gratte-ciels imaginaires dans lequel le miroir-objet n’est pas central. Par sa polysémie, le miroir ainsi redéfini s’inscrit autant dans un contexte d’usage que dans son absence.

En collaboration avec:

Jean-Marie Foubert céramiste en Bourgogne

Christophe Saba maître-verrier à Biot

Alain Vagh tuilerie à Salernes

Texte par Graziella Semerciyan

About Marie & Alexandre

Marie Cornil and Alexandre Willaume met in 2018 during their participation at Design parade 13 at the Villa Noailles in Hyères. Their backgrounds are indicative of complementarities, Marie studied visual arts at HEAD in Geneva before joining Ecal in Lausanne, while Alexandre completed his training in industrial design at ENSCI - Les Ateliers,  also benefiting from a university exchange in San Francisco at the California College of Art.

In 2018, Alexandre had already been working at the Bouroullec studio for nine years, when Marie joined the studio for two years.

Each developing their personal practices, that of painting and sculpture for Alexandre with WANC and textile and color work for Marie, they present together during the summer 2021, the Mobile series at the Villa Noailles which marks the beginning of their work around the red clay of Salerne. The particularity and the strength of the duo are based on the dialogue that Marie and Alexandre establish between themselves and craftsmen-artists. This relationship of curiosity between the two designers is the bearer of fertile collaborations. They apprehend each situation by discovering the materials, their techniques and the know-how of the craftsmen to design objects by an approach that is not hylomorphic. They implement the art du terrain, in which Making is central. Their itinerancy leads them to imagine objects as landscapes or living collections. Their current collaboration with Editors encourages them to think of objects with a wider distribution that complement the collectible approach of the very small series imagined for the gallery.

In March 2022, the Martell Foundation in Cognac inaugurates the Végétasia exhibition, result of a collaboration between the duo, the botanist Marc Jeanson and the Ateliers of the Foundation.

They begin a cycle of exhibitions at the Galerie Signé in September 2022 with a presentation of lights entitled Horizon, followed in January 2023 by Iris, an open research on the mirror object and its reflections.

In March of the same year, the Galerie Signé will host a new version of the Végétasia exhibition.

Exhibition & Others :

Végétasia Galerie Signé, Paris, May 2023

Iris Galerie Signé, Paris, January 2023 

Horizon Galerie Signé, Paris, September 2022 

Internship Ex Ecal Becque, la tour de Paix, Switzerland 2022

Exposition Végétasia, l’intime des plantes, in collaboration with Marc Jeanson, Martell Foundation, Cognac 2022 

Galerie Signé, Paris 2022 

Collectible fair, Brussels 2022 

La Bocca della Verita, Curated by Margherita Ratti, Brussels 2022 

Mati Galerie, Geneva 2021 

Guru craft & design fair, Paris 2021 

Villa Noailles, « Manufacto » Hermès Fondation , Hyères France 2021

Villa Noailles, Design Parade 15, Hyères, France 2018, Finalists of the design festival