Contract Magazine - January 2020 - 128

Charlotte Perriand
collaborated closely with
Le Corbusier (far left)
throughout the '20s and '30s.
She also spent a great deal of
time in the Far East, helping
to give a modern drive to
Japanese production (left).
Her Double chaise loungue
(left, bottom) was originally
designed in 1952 for the villa
of Maurice Delage. At the
exhibition, the interiors of
the Salon d'Automme (1929)
have been reconstructed for
the first time (left, middle).

le monde
nouveau
de
charlotte
perriand

128

Through a special installation dedicated to the pioneering
designer, visitors can experience Perriand's relationship
with 20th-century arts.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the passing of renowned French architect
and designer Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), Cassina, the only company authorized
to manufacture furniture designed by Perriand, has teamed up with the Fondation
Louis Vuitton for the exhibition "Charlotte Perriand: Inventing a New World."
The exhibition, currently on display through Feb. 24, pays tribute to the prominent
designer through display of her architectural works, but also through investigation
into her pioneering role during this historical period, and her relationship with
the 20th-century arts and evolving social and political order.
Throughout her life, Perriand was a key player in revolutionizing the
relationship between the arts-including architecture, painting, and sculpture-
across different cultures, from Asia to Latin America. Her works encapsulate
the transition from the 19th century to the 20th century, highlighting the evolving
role of women and changing attitudes toward urban living.
Through carefully researched reconstructions, in collaboration with
Pernette Perriand-Barsac, daughter of Charlotte Perriand and guardian of her
legacy, Cassina has created the interiors of the annual Paris art exhibition "Salon
d'Automne" (1929) to include reissues and study models that represent the
revolutionary project. It has also reproduced some items of furniture for the "Maison
du Jeune Homme" (1935), a housing project that Perriand proposed for the French
section of the Universal Expositions in Brussels; the "Proposition d'une Synthèse
des Arts" (1955), an installation by Perriand that was part of an exhibition in
Tokyo; and a selection of other pieces designed during Perriand's time in Asia.
The futuristic "Refuge Tonneau" (1938), an authentic masterpiece of mobile
architecture envisioned with Pierre Jeanneret for the mountains, has also been
loaned from the Cassina headquarters for the exhibition.
Throughout her life, as a pioneer of modernity, Perriand was committed
to defining a new art de vivre, or "art of living," that would break the traditional
character of her era. She placed human needs at the center of every project she
completed, while employing local craftsmanship and materials. Cassina was careful
to produce faithful reconstructions of some of her most interesting works for the
exhibition, including the Banquette Méandre (1937/40), which was designed during
her time in Japan, where she was called as a consultant for industrial art in 1940.
The bench, composed of modular elements with a wooden structure and bamboo
slats, has seats that are assembled perpendicularly thanks to the junction
of low square tables, which feature photos taken by Perriand. Visitors also will
be introduced to a selection of works from the Cassina I Maestri Collection,
including the Refolo bench by Perriand and the LC2 armchairs by Le Corbusier,
Pierre Jeanneret, and Perriand. -MEGHAN DWYER
contractdesign.com

JANUARY 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON/DAVID BORDES (SALON D'AUTOMME); ARCHIVES CHARLOTTE PERRIAND, ADAGP 2019 (ALL OTHERS)

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