Martin Szekely
Manière Noire
17 September–31 October 2015
Blondeau & Cie
5 rue de la Muse
1205 Geneva
Switzerland
Hours: Thursday–Friday 2–6:30pm,
Saturday 11am–5pm
T +41 22 544 95 95
F +41 22 544 95 99
muse [at] blondeau.ch
“What at first looks like a monolith is in fact hollow: an assemblage of rectangular and square boxes, open at one end and with sides five millimetres thick. They are stuck together and mutually interdependent in the effort that will be demanded of them once filled. Impregnated with and solidified by resin, the carbon fibre unifies the entire structure.”
–Martin Szekely
From 17 September to 31 October 2015, Blondeau & Cie are delighted to present Manière Noire, a new series by Martin Szekely, at 5 Rue de la Muse in Geneva. Manière Noire comprises two sets of shelving in carbon fibre, Shelf and Tower. The Shelf items are fixed to the wall but seem to hang in space, while the Tower elements are amassed to form freestanding parallelepipeds.
Martin Szekely began using carbon fibre in 1985, when his Chaise Carbone was a first in the world of domestic furniture. It was followed by Heroic Carbon in 2010 and Manière Noire in 2013.
Making the most of the material’s low density and remarkable resistance to traction and compression, this new series offers light, strong structures that multiply useable space.
Wholly determined by their function, the simple forms of these shelves are open to evolving uses. Made from a single material, they are physically limited to what is strictly necessary. This simplicity reflects Martin Szekely’s ongoing research into uses and materials.
The distinctive aesthetic of this series is visually underscored by the alternation of square and rectangular modules, the interplay of full and empty forms, and the silky sheen of the woven material as it modulates the reflected light.
Manière Noire Shelf comprises five models, five shelves of different sizes and orientations.
Each model is an edition of ten (+ two AP).
Manière Noire Tower comprises three models, three shelf units of different heights.
Each model is an edition of ten (+ two AP).
Each piece of shelving is signed and numbered by Martin Szekely.
Born in 1956, Martin Szekely lives and works in Paris. He created his first collection, the “Pi” furniture line, in 1982, its sharp, graphic profile bringing him considerable recognition on the occasion of his first exhibition in 1985 at the Galerie Neotù, Paris, where he exhibited his work until 1994.
Since then, his work has been divided between, on the one hand, experimental limited editions of furniture and objects, which are regularly exhibited in galleries and specially commissioned; and, on the other, industrial and public commissions.
In 2010, Éditions JRP|Ringier (Zurich) published Martin Szekely, showing the development of his work from 1998 to 2010. A major solo exhibition of his work, Ne plus dessiner (Draw Nomore), was showcased at the Centres George Pompidou in Paris in 2011. His pieces are held in numerous permanent collections, including MoMA New York; the Centre Pompidou, Paris; Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris; Mudam, Luxembourg; and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
The exhibition Martin Szekely, Manière Noire is showcased on the second floor of the building. From 17 September 2015 to 30 January 2016, Blondeau & Cie is also showing in its gallery space (ground floor) Louise Lawler, No Drones.
