June 22 - July 29, 2007
Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London




Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London's most exciting contemporary design gallery, is hosting the second solo exhibition of the French furniture designer Ingrid Donat (b. 1957). Donat's five seminal new works mark a significant departure from the sinuous curves and organic forms of her previous collections to the more self-assured and bolder geometric style characteristic of the Art Deco.

Like the Art Deco designers and sculptors of the 1930s, Donat's geometric furniture forms deftly capture the era's fascination with the primitive and tribal arts of Africa. Her new works pay tribute to these exotic antecedents and France's rich design heritage by honouring the techniques, materials, motifs and shapes popular during the first half of the twentieth century. Elegant in their ebony bronze casts, each thoughtful and expressive piece of furniture refers to classical prototypes similar to the French Art Deco designer Armand Albert Rateau (1882-1938).

Donat's pieces are often incised with pierced and interlaced decoration, a subtle network of combined squares, scrolls and concentric circles adorning the rails, handles and canted corners of each work as seen in her Commode Primitive (left) and Banc Tout Bronze (below right). She realizes each concept by beginning with a sheet of wax which she carves, moulds, and shapes into the desired form or ‘skin' of the work. The combination of lustrous material with Donat's characteristic delicate engraving solicits further examination of its tactile and reptilian qualities.

Donat's preference for the sensuous natural materials of bronze, various fine woods, and parchment linen provides an interesting counterpoint to today's reliance on cool, sleek and minimalist design. Donat engraves the bronzes, (cast in a limited edition of eight), hand paints and stitches the upholstery and custom treats the wood for all of her works. Each piece of furniture is produced at the prestigious Blanchet-Landowski Foundry under the careful guidance of the artist.

Ingrid Donat: Solo Exhibition
June 22 - July 29, 2007


22 June 2007 - Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London's most exciting contemporary design gallery, will host the second solo exhibition of the French furniture designer Ingrid Donat (b. 1957). Donat's five seminal new works mark a significant departure from the sinuous curves and organic forms of her previous collections to the more self-assured and bolder geometric style characteristic of the Art Deco.

Like the Art Deco designers and sculptors of the 1930s, Donat's geometric furniture forms deftly capture the era's fascination with the primitive and tribal arts of Africa. Her new works pay tribute to these exotic antecedents and France's rich design heritage by honouring the techniques, materials, motifs and shapes popular during the first half of the twentieth century. Elegant in their ebony bronze casts, each thoughtful and expressive piece of furniture refers to classical prototypes similar to the French Art Deco designer Armand Albert Rateau (1882-1938).

Donat's pieces are often incised with pierced and interlaced decoration, a subtle network of combined squares, scrolls and concentric circles adorning the rails, handles and canted corners of each work as seen in her Commode Primitive (left) and Banc Tout Bronze (below right). She realizes each concept by beginning with a sheet of wax which she carves, moulds, and shapes into the desired form or ‘skin' of the work. The combination of lustrous material with Donat's characteristic delicate engraving solicits further examination of its tactile and reptilian qualities.

Donat's preference for the sensuous natural materials of bronze, various fine woods, and parchment linen provides an interesting counterpoint to today's reliance on cool, sleek and minimalist design. Donat engraves the bronzes, (cast in a limited edition of eight), hand paints and stitches the upholstery and custom treats the wood for all of her works. Each piece of furniture is produced at the prestigious Blanchet-Landowski Foundry under the careful guidance of the artist.

Afterwards each piece is inspected and initialled by Donat and fixed with a foundry stamp and certificate of authentication. These consoles, drawers, seats and tables express the maker's knowledge, impeccable craftsmanship, and mastery of such a difficult process: a process almost totally unknown in the contemporary design canon.

Notes to Editors:

Ingrid Donat was born into a family of artists, her grandfather being an architect and her father a painter. Today her atelier and home is based in Paris but she spent the majority of her childhood in Sweden. Upon her return she pursued her initial interest in sculpture and became close friends with André Arbus's companion, Sylva Bernt, as well as with Diego and Alberto Giacometti. Diego recognized Donat's natural talent advised her to forgo formal training and apply her sculptural experience and art historical knowledge to furniture making however it was Bernt who taught her the fine art of bronze casting, construction, engraving and patinization. Ultimately it was Diego Giacometti's persistent encouragement which gave Donat the reassurance to challenge herself in creating sculptural furniture - elevating the ubiquitous into mobilier sculpture.


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Carpenters Workshop Gallery
2 Michael Road
SW6 2AD London
United Kingdom
TEL : +44 (0)20 7384 2211
info@cwgdesign.com
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