Out/About: Charlotte Perriand – An Icon of Modernity
Charlotte Perriand: The woman who introduced the ‘modernist’ aesthetic to interiors. Now that is a feat. With 2015 marking the 50th anniversary of the ever-influential LC Collection and 50 years since Le Corbusier passed away, we’re given a great excuse to celebrate that in slightly more depth than usual. Between a special exhibition: “Charlotte Perriand – An Icon of Modernity”, held in CULT’s Sydney and Melbourne showrooms, and a design lecture given by Charlotte’s daughter Pernette Perriand-Barsac, we will delight over this especially talented woman and her work, and appreciate consciously her contribution to modern design.
In the carefully curated exhibition will be a body of the French architect and designer’s work, showcasing the now-iconic pieces she created at Le Corbusier’s studio in the 1920s and 1930s, her revolutionary use of steel, aluminium and glass, and by extension – quite importantly – Perriand’s groundbreaking achievements in what was a male domain. We will see a range of her various designs – from the chrome and tubular to the post-constructivist compositions, simple, peasant-like stools and pieces in natural materials, plus a collection of photographs and sketches never before seen by the public.
Along with the lecture given by her daughter – who worked for over a quarter of a century with her mother as personal assistant and now dedicates herself with husband Jacques Barsac to keeping the legacy of Charlotte Perriand alive through curating exhibitions, authoring books and launching new design collaborations – September will give us a comprehensive look into the life and work of one of our ultimate design icons.
It’s a show we’re eager to see not only because the furniture is truly stunning, but because the furniture represents a major development in the history of design and for society at large: in her work, Charlotte Perriand aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society.
‘Charlotte Perriand – An Icon of Modernity” is open in Melbourne from 15 September-15 October and Sydney from 17 September-15 October, 2015.
“Gesture. Shape. Technique of Charlotte Perriand: An Avant-Garde Woman” presented by Pernette Perriand-Barsac and Jacques Barsac and moderated by Cathlyn Lockhart. Dr Chau Chak Wing building, UTS 16 September, 2015 from 5.30-6.30pm
Credits: Cassina
