May 26,
2016 - Jul 30, 2016
Gagosian
Gallery is pleased to present Triptyques, a series of limited edition mirrors,
and Boîte à outils (Tool Box), a sculpture by Jean Nouvel.
Like many
Modernist predecessors who worked across related disciplines, Nouvel describes
himself as an architect and a designer. His design products derive from
architectural commissions, or from alternative visions that correspond to his
building design but which are linked to specific use. Regardless of the scale
of the object or the architecture, Nouvel employs the same rigorous approach,
imbuing the objects and accoutrements of everyday life with a certain lyricism
that is also streamlined and utilitarian.
As the
title suggests, Triptyques are three-paneled colored mirrors, each in an
edition of six. The central panel is fixed to the wall, while flanking and
cantilevered panels are engineered to be movable. Four mirrors are presented,
each different in color and orientation. Nouvel comments, "The mirror is a
piece that you want to live with, in which you reflect intimate images—images
from your home; you can capture a piece of a window in it somewhere."
Colors range from light orange to blood orange to red, his signature color. The
mirror finds its essence whether open or closed. When opened, Nouvel's mirrors evince
the importance of color in their surroundings; when closed, they preserve a
certain austere elegance.
The
extra-large stainless steel tool box titled Boîte à outils (1987–2011),
meanwhile, is an emblematic and celebrated design. It is an object of function
and fantasy at the same time—a deluxe storage system based on the standard
toolbox that can be found in every household. Nouvel has reinterpreted this
utilitarian staple, streamlining it while endowing it with additional features.
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