Franco Asco’s art is an harmonious oscillation between classical resonances and abstract paces. Influenced by Rodin and Maillol on one side, by Brancusi and Arp on the other, the work of this 20th century artist expresses the opposites, torn appart between naturalism and anti-naturalism.
Franco Asco was born in Trieste in 1903, from a Polish mother and an Italian father that he never met. In 1929 he « italianized » his real name Atschko, making it Asco. At the end of World War 1, after studying at Vienna Fine Arts Academy, he moved to Rome.
His first shows were in Trieste (1920-1921), and in Barcelona in 1929 for the International Exhibition. He took part in the Venice Biennale in 1930, 1932, 1935 and 1940.
In 1933, Asco moved to Milan and participated in several public exhibitions.
His first solo show was in 1937 in Milan, at the Galleria Pesaro.
In 1947, he made an exhibition in Sao Paolo, and in 1949, he was in the famous « Mostra Polemica » in Trieste then Milan.
In 1955, he won a contest for the building of a city monument in Trieste.
From 1959 to 1962, he took part in several exhibitions at the Galleria Pagani del Grattacielo, and in 1968 at the Galleria Cavour in Milan.
He died in 1970 in Milan, leaving a rich and inspiring work behind him.
When violence renewed the beds of men on earth,
A very old tree, with dry leaves, resumed the thread of his maxims ...
And another senior tree rose from the already large underground Indies
With its magnetic leaf and its load of new fruits.
Saint-John Perse
After studying at the National School of Decorative Arts and the National School of Fine Arts in Paris, Marc Bankowsky first practiced painting. His meeting with the painter José Fabri-Canti lead to found in Corsica Cyrne Arte, a phalanstery bringing together visual artists, actors and musicians. Sculpture, ceramic, mosaic, brassware and ironware workshops, settled in the village of Balagne. He learnt the fresco and mosaic and kept its course while participating in the organization of the first Corsican music festival.
In the 70’s, Marc returned to Paris after a visit to Switzerland, where he discoverd and learnt weaving. Huge hanging cocoons, the "Platforms", borned of his imagination, met a huge success, especially in the biennial of tapestry in Lausanne. Museums and Culture Houses exposed his work. For its opening, the Centre Georges Pompidou commissioned a monumental work installed at the entrance. His taste for modeling lead him in the 80’s to work bronze, which he vows since, reviving its mythological roots. Peter Marino then asked him to make stools and goldsmith objects for Christian Dior.
The forces of nature, through the vegetable, mineral and animal kingdoms, become furniture and bronze, plaster and resin objects, seducting renowned designers as well as private clients in USA, Europe and Asia.
Depuis bientôt 30 ans, Simone Cenedese produit lustres et objets dans la verrerie familiale de l’ile de Murano à Venise, l’une des rares à porter le sceau « vitro artistico Murano », un label de qualité. Très jeune, il a appris de son père Giovanni, fondateur de la verrerie dans les années 70, les gestes des maîtres et le secret du verre. Il appartient aujourd’hui à cette dernière génération qui combine savoirfaire ancestral, technologies de pointe et geste artistique.
Born in 1889 in Souvigny, Burgundy, from glass blower parents, Jean Després starts his apprenticeship with a Parisian goldsmith, friend of the family, in 1905.
First an industrial drawer for the military aviation during World War I, he took over his parents’ shop in 1920 and launched his goldsmith and jeweler workshop. He revealed himself to be an innovative creator with a unique way to work metals, and with new drawn shapes never seen before. He participated to his first show in 1926 at the Salon des Indépendants. Many shows and exhibitions then followed, such as the Salon d’Automne, the Salon of Decorative artists, and the Tuileries Salon.
Jean Després chooses massive shapes rather than the classical goldsmith ornaments and avoids the use of precious gemstones in his jewel collection. His jewel production is defined by necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings where metals are combined with ivory, lacquer, ebony, onyx and sharkskin.
His goldsmith pieces are inspired by the aviation aesthetic, crafted using hammered metals, and ample, generous and modern shapes. In the 1940’s, Jean Després is nominated President of the Goldsmith Syndicate, after receiving the Legion d’Honneur, in 1938. The artist’s works will be collected in France and worldwide, even after his death in 1980.
Born in Florence in 1915, Marcello Fantoni starts his artistic career in 1927 when he subscribes to the Art Institute of Porta Romana. He begins to follow the ceramic class of Carlo Guerrini, the artistic director of Cantagalli’s famous manufacture.
After his graduation in 1934, he starts to work as the artistic director of a studio in Perugia, before settling in Florence and creating his own ceramic workshop. His production of edition and unique pieces meets a great success from 1937 with the Arts and Crafts exhibition that made him well-known throughout all the country and beyond.
After the war years, spent in the Resistance, he comes back to his artistic activity with fever, developing his workshop’s production and increasing his collaborations. His success grows in the 1960’s and 1970’s: his unique sculptures adopt both a very contemporary aesthetic and historical references, such as the Etruscan ceramics, to which he gives a new approach of the material, colors and enamel.
In 1970, Fantoni founds the International School of Ceramic Art in Florence. It is there that he will pursue his work, production, and will teach, until his death in 2011.
Today, his pieces are part of the most important museum collections, such as The Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Tokyo’s Museum of Modern Art.
Master glassmakers Foddis and Baisi are among the most promising craftsmen in Italy. After a long training followed in several Italian glass workshops, the two artists settled in Milan, where they founded Effete Vetro. Using materials such as Supermirror Steel and opalin glass from the 1950s, Foddis and BAisi create original pieces designed to adorn the most beautiful interiors.
Graduated from the Academy of Brera, this multicard artist, painter, sculptor, writer, stylist, designer inspired by ancients but also by Chiric, works from the 30's with Gio Ponti, until the 60's. He released a surreal furniture that gives Fornasetti a place quite apart in the Italian design of the 20th century.
Robert Goossens was born in 1927 in Paris of a bronze smelter father and a mother working in a theater. In 1942 he began his apprenticeship as a goldsmith at the workshop Bauer, creating pieces for Cartier. His initiation continues in the workshop Lefevre, again for Cartier. In 1949, he performs very varied orders requiring mastery of various techniques, such as inlaid ivory, tortoiseshell and mother of pearl, woodworking and leather, sculpture, painting or enamelling. At this time, Max Boinet, a friend of fashion designers, leads Goossens in the world of high fantasy jewelry: Dior, Balmain, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli. But Robert Goossens remains fascinated by ancient jewelry. In 1953, Mr Degorce seeks Robert Goossens to assist him. The 75 years old master craftsman realizes jewelry accented with pearls, rhinestones, ruby and sapphire for Mrs Gabrielle Chanel. Nothing to do with his real goldsmith profession but Goossens learns. He thus begins indirectly at Chanel and gives free rein to his creativity. He develops Visigoth or Etruscan inspired jewelry. For Hermès, he created the hedgehog, the horseshoe and the caliper in gold and silver. His dream takes shape: evolves alongside the big names.
Chanel
Following the disappearance of Mr. Degorce in 1957, Coco Chanel’s assistant, Mrs Michelle, summoned him. Coco crosses the corridor. Robert Goossens arises. She looks at him and says, "I trust the real professionals." This brief interview marks the beginning of an exciting collaboration until the disappearance of Gabrielle Chanel. One day Robert presented a jewelry collection inspired by Ancients. "They are beautiful," she said, "and if we are asked, we will say they come from the excavations of the rue Cambon!" Mademoiselle wants more! Always jewelry, but also objects, mirrors, chandeliers, furniture where pyrites, rock crystal and corals fit together. All those symbols, like the wheat heads prosperity and happiness in the house, are precious to Coco Chanel. At the end of the fifties, Goossens develops his decorative arts production,which he calls “space jewels”. Robert chisels and gilds a consequent harvest, signing either “Robert Goossens” or “Robert from the Marais”, referring to the district of Paris he likes. His first “space jewelries”, real interior ornaments, are the Wheat sheaf table and the Waterlily pedestal. He declines his favorite patterns like coral, seashells, hearts, chains and the foliage on the bronze he gilds and often adorns with rock crystal. "As for jewelry and decorative items, I think I am today the only witness to the creative spirit of Mrs Chanel, professionally speaking." Between 1954 and 1971, he invented an amazing vocabulary of forms that marked the decorative arts.
Yves Saint Laurent
"Mr. Jewel" started in 1974 at Maison Saint-Laurent in collaboration with Loulou de la Falaise suggesting him new inspiration tracks. Robert documents and imagines a line of jewelry as Africanists bamboo models while continuing to decline the themes of hearts and crosses on his favorite “space jewels”: chandeliers, tables and mirrors. Goossens and Saint-Laurent became friends, and the fashion designer asked him to create very limited editions of “space jewels” to gift to his relatives, as the photo frames made with gilded bronze and rock crystal en 1980. The collaboration is very successful until 2000.
In 2005, Robert Goossens sells his company to Chanel and agrees for the time of "active" retirement, as he likes to say so. He sponsors the creative workshop "The Paruriers". Robert continued to dream about new projects: creating a training workshop for youth to make them benefit from his extraordinary experience. Although he likes to add, maliciously, "I have learned my craft in the street."
Turquoise, pyrite, amber, agates… Nothing is too rare to adorn the creations of the brand of the "meubles bijoux". Created in the 70s in Hong Kong, Kam Tin published very few pieces before stopping its production. It took a turquoise chest to cross paths with Philippe Rapin for the magic to work again. The Quai Voltaire's art dealer developed a passion for his treasures while traveling in Hong Kong and decided to buy the brand. His expertise in decorative art, his taste for the eclectic and contemporary style gave rise to new collections. The first pieces, turquoise or amber cabinets, met great interest among collectors. In October 2012, a turquoise floating cabinet is sold more than 200 000 US dollars at Christie's.
New creations will follow: brass and copper cloud tables, small side tables bronze decorated with turquoise inlay or tiger eye, pyrite enfilades , turquoise bedside or masterful brass chandelier. Those exceptional single or limited edition, are made by artisans/goldsmiths in Philippe Rapin's workshop in Germany.
Today, Kam Tin is illustrated in international fairs (Paris, London, Hong Kong, Beijing) and major auction houses (Christie's London and NY, HK Sotheby's, Bonhams London Arcurial and Piasa in Paris).
Raised in Montana, USA, Ryan LaBar studied Biology and Art before working for numerous institutions as a resident artist, such as the Archie Bray Foundation, LH Projects, and California State University.
His projects then started to travel beyond the American frontiers, to China, Korea, or even Poland.
In 2014, Ryan left his hometown for Jingdezhen in China, where he established the Lab Arts, his personal studio and innovation center.
Settled in the historical city of imperial Chinese porcelain, the artist works with clay to create abstract sculptures and volumes where curves intertwine. Ryan LaBar uses the ancient craftsmanship to create important wall installations and sculptures, where movements and tensions punctuate the whole. The artist sees these shapes as complex systems, dense and balanced at the same time.
For LaBar, his creative process is the very foundation of his concept: the shapes he creates regroup individual elements, that in turn communicate, intertwine, and clash the general shape made by these elements brought together.
Nowadays, Ryan Labar appears as a prolific artist, whose creations are found in both private and public collections. Each day, his meticulous production grows, in the heart of the historical hometown of Chinese clay production of the last two centuries.
1949 Birth in Nice.
1965 At 16, Anne Marie Paul decides to leave school to devote herself exclusively to drawing and painting.
1967 Meeting with Alexandre CALDER and Jo DAVIDSON.
1968 In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, meeting with Joan MIRÓ and Aimé MAEGHT who buys several gouaches.
Work in MIRÓ’s workshop.
1969 Join the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
Meet Georges MATHIEU who becomes a close friend.
Stay at Saché at Alexandre CALDER. he gives her a workshop to work and gives advice.
First sculptures made of terracotta.
Meeting with CÉSAR with whom she works and participates in the development of certain works.
1970-1973 Sharing the studio of Louis CHAVIGNIER then that of Étienne MARTIN.
Participates in the Young Sculpture Salon, at the Salon des Independents and at the Salon de Mai where she meets Claude VISIEUX. He designates her to leave for Villa Medici.
1974-1976 Resident at the Villa Medici of Rome under the direction of BALTHUS, she befriends FELLINI, Sergio LEONE.
Participates in the casts of the Niobides for the creation of the Balthus Fountain at Villa Medici.
1977 Return to Touraine to work and moved to the property of CALDER following his death.
1981 First trip to the USA.
1984 Exhibition of his sculptures in New York and Los Angeles as part of Art Expo.
1985 Exhibition in New York.
1986 Exhibition in Los Angeles.
1988 Appointed at the University of Paris VIII as a teacher and artist where she obtained her own studio.
1989-2003 Exhibitions in the USA and Europe.
2005 Death of Anne-Marie Paul in Paris.
1960 Pol Quadens was born in Brussels. His father was active in the fields of composites and metal industry, and Pol is therefore surrounded by the world of materials since his early childhood. After his artistic studies, he starts restoring vintage cars. This experience makes him gain strong practical skills and deep knowledge of all types of materials.
1987 First creations and production of objects. His sensitivity and passion for the arts lead him to the creation of functional artworks. His CD shelf has sold more than 100,000 pieces and has become iconic in its category.
1995 Pol meets with an engineer of the Donnay workshops who makes him discover carbon fiber. He produces the C 06 piece, one of the lightest chairs in the world – 950 grams – that proves commercially very successful.
2000 Release of the 4 inches high Strada women shoes, entirely handmade in carbon fiber. These singular shoes feature a revolutionary detail: they are high but they have no heels. Madonna loves the concept and wears the shoes during one of her concerts.
2007 Pol Quadens enriches his creations by working with new materials and begins to include Corian®. He designs a whole range of furniture pieces for Brussels-based OVO Editions.
2013 Pol Quadens is back to his roots and starts producing high end unique pieces and limited editions in stainless steel.
2014 Publication of his first monograph by Parisian publisher Somogy and distributed by Flammarion.
2017 He signs his iconic « Infinity » bookshelf, an entirely handmade stainless steel piece which has required more than 400 hours of work.
2018 In addition to his designer activities, Pol Quadens shifts also towards art and monumental sculpture and starts developing his work to sculptures. His latest creation is « 16 Stones », a 4.5m high work inspired by the primitive « Cairn », which consists in marking a site or a common area by piling up stones. « 16 Stones » is the first creation of its kind and Pol is now developing the concept for international private collections -interiors and sculpture parks-.
2019 Maison Rapin starts to work with Pol on the Brafa art fair Brussels in January.
He starts a collaboration with a top agent for the sculpture works in New York
Roberto Giulio Rida was born in 1943 in Milan. Facing a solitary youth due to the many moves of his family, the taciturn child draw and collect small sculpted objects. His aunt, an educated woman and artist, encouraged him to visit museums, churches and historical sites. Later, he attended the Brera Academy where he was a brilliant student. But the necessities of life forced him to take odd jobs to survive until his military service. On his return, he began trading art objects. He moved to Venice as an antique dealer and frequents Murano masters who teached him for eight years the craft of glass. In 1973, he returned to Milan, where he specialized in the Arts of the twentieth century. In parallel, he has created lightings and furniture covered with cut glass and crystal. Today Roberto Giulio Rida is an accomplished and atypical artist. Regardless of the artistics movements, he invites the visitor in a strange world where science fiction collide with the Italian Renaissance and the intensity of a mineral light.
ROBERT GOOSSENS (1927-2016) Waterlilies chandelier Structure made with gilded bronze and brass imitating waterlilies, adorned with raw rock crystals on the crown, and a smoked quartz on the center Signed and dated "Robert Goossens 1973" H 130 x D 120 cm H 51.18 x D 47.24 inches France, 1973
ROBERT GOOSSENS (1927-2016) Pair of gilded bronze candle sticks, of Persian inspiration, with an ornemental silver ring Signed under the base H 28 x W 13 x D 9 cm H 11.02 x W 5.12 x D 3.54 inches France, circa 1970
ITALIAN WORK Large green velvet angle sofa, brass legs H 70 x W 260 x D 180 cm / seating heigh : 36 cm H 27.56 x W 102.36 x D 70.87 / seating heigh : 14.17 inches Italy, circa 1950
GIO PONTI (1891-1979) Set of three polished brass sconces, adorned with reflecting tinted glass Two lights H 53 x W 36 x D 12 cm H 20.87 x W 14.17 x D 1.72 inches Italy, circa 1930
SIMONE CENEDESE Three polished brass arms, bubbles made with blown Murano glass Unique piece H 113 x D 84 cm H 44.48 x D 33.07 inches Italy, 2022
SOLD FODDIS & BAISI Large concave pink mirror made with vintage Murano glass held by a polished brass structure Unique piece Diameter 195 cm / 76.77 inches Italy, 2022
ROBERT GOOSSENS (1927-2016) Gilded bronze structure adorned with natural rock crystals Signed and dated unique piece H 120 x D 120 cm H 47.24 x D 47.24 inches France, 1982
SOLD ETIENNE ALLEMEERSCH (1926-2002) Black resin top with inlayed jade on a black lacquered steel tripod leg Signed on the side H 35 x W 71 x D 58 cm H 13.78 x W 27.95 x D 22.84 inches Belgium, circa 1970
SIMONE CENEDESE Mushroom Miele Lamp Opaque blown Murano glass base, translucent blown Murano glass lampshade, brass connection H 45 x W 25 x D 25 cm H 17.72 x W 9.84 x D 9.84 inches Italy, 2022
SIMONE CENEDESE Mushroom Titanio lamp Opaque blown Murano glass base, translucent blown Murano glass lampshade, brass connection H 35 x W 13 x D 14 cm H 13.8 x W 5.12 x D 5.51 inches Italy, 2022
SIMONE CENEDESE Mushroom Ambra lamp Opaque blown Murano glass base, translucent blown Murano glass lampshade, brass connection H 25 x W 13 x D 13 cm H 9.84 x W 5.12 x D 5.12 inches Italy, 2022
PAOLO BUFFA (1903-1970) White velvet upholstery, wooden legs H 100 x W 70 x D 70 cm H 39.37 x W 27.56 x D 27.56 inches Italy, circa 1950
ETIENNE ALLEMEERSCH (1926-2002) Bean shaped top made with galalith mosaic on black lacquered steel tripod legs H 40 x W 160 x D 80 cm H 15.75 x W 63 x D 31.5 inches Belgium, circa 1970
FODDIS & BAISI Luna mirror Large vintage reflecting glass on a polished brass structure D 195 cm / 76.4 inches Unique piece Italy, 2022
FODDIS & BAISI Urano mirror Vintage colored concave reflecting glass on a polished brass structure D 174 cm / 68.5 inches Unique piece Italy, 2022
ETIENNE ALLEMEERSCH (1926-2002) Pair of side tables Black resin top inlayed with galalith, black lacquered steel tripod leg H 35 x W 60 x D 60 cm H 13.78 x W 23.62 x D 23.62 inches Belgium, circa 1970
ETIENNE ALLEMEERSCH (1926-2002) Stainless steel tripod leg and round top pedestal, granite ornamental center sphere H 74.5 x D 59 cm H 29.33 x D 23.23 inches Belgium, circa 1970
FODDIS & BAISI Bronze Astronave Colored sculpted glass Maison Rapin limited edition of 25 pieces Signed and numbered Diameter : 117 cm / 46.06 inches Italy, 2022
GIO PONTI (1891-1979) Pair of blue velvet armchairs, wooden legs H 100 x W 64 x D 64 cm H 39.37 x w 25.2 x D 25.2 inches Italy, circa 1950
FODDIS & BAISI Silver Astronave Colored sculpted glass Maison Rapin limited edition of 25 pieces Signed and numbered Diameter : 117 cm / 46.06 inches Italy, 2021
FODDIS & BAISI Golden Astronave Colored sculpted glass Maison Rapin limited edition of 25 pieces Signed and numbered Diameter : 117 cm / 46.06 inches Italy, 2022