Transatlantic Creative Exchange 2019

A program and exhibition curated  by Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, presented in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
On view at WantedDesign Brooklyn at Industry City, May 16-20, 11am-6pm

Transatlantic Creative Exchange is a program that pairs French and American designers and manufacturers to explore new techniques and innovate boldly as a unified transatlantic design team. The designer- manufacturer duos are formed based on overlapping interests, geographic diversity and desire to engage in creative collaboration. For the designers, it’s a chance to experiment, think outside of the box, bring a new vision and new ideas to life without commercial constraints. It’s exciting for the manufacturers as well, to be able to push boundaries and develop extraordinary pieces that highlight their expertise.

The dialogue between the French and American partners throughout the creative development is as valuable as the resulting pieces. 2019 year marks the 3^rd edition of Transatlantic Creative Exchange featuring the following duos:
CIAV Meisenthal (France) + Elyse Graham (US)
Corning Museum of Glass, Glass Lab (US) + Philippe Nigro (France)
Neal Feay (US) + Guillaume Delvigne (France)
Procédés Chénel (France) + Rodolfo Agrella (US)

Scenography and exhibition design by Eve Marine Basuyaux.
With the support of Procédés Chénel and Tarkett.

CIAV Meisenthal (France) + Elyse Graham (US)

“Having never worked in glass, I was both eager and anxious to collaborate with CIAV.  I proposed a project based on taking the experimental processes I use with resin–casting material in layers and then removing it from the exterior to reveal unexpected patterns of color.  Translating this process to glass was especially intriguing to me as it would allow me to work with translucence and illumination, things I haven’t been able to achieve with my resin work. I was incredibly impressed by the technical skill of the artisans at CIAV–they quickly and expertly executed my ideas and I struggled to keep up with their pace in the first days.  As I watched, learned and began to understand the unique qualities of glass–both assets and limitations, my confidence soared and imagination exploded!”  Elyse Graham

Corning Museum of Glass, Glass Lab (US) + Philippe Nigro (France)

“It is a good exercise to learn to free oneself from the constraints to give way to the unexpected and thus to create “free” objects. For this project which is concentrated on a short period of five days, it is necessary to play with this spirit of speed, of moment, even if the result gives objects, vases or cup, whose function is an excuse: it reverse the process for a designer who usually makes the function a priority. My experience with glass is so far rather European and the discovery of techniques and different ways to consider the work of glass through a different culture amplify my curiosity. The technique of glass is a physical work where the glass blower is really fitting with the material, the challenge is also to find my place as a Designer: how to find my place and orchestrate the live actions of these talented craftsmen?”  Philippe Nigro

Neal Feay (US) + Guillaume Delvigne (France)

“When I first met Alex Rasmussen during one of his stay

in Paris I immediately felt his passion for design process and of course passion for aluminum. I never had the opportunity to work on a proper aluminum project before so I was very enthusiastic with the idea to do it with such qualified people. Looking at the pieces Neal Feay is doing I was quite impressed by the level of precision and detail they can reach with their tools. The quality of the anodised finish aspect is also very interesting, it can be very subtle and sensual. I wanted to work on something which allowed me to explore those two different aspects, technical and sensitive. Experimenting with  texture and playing with a palette of deep dark and elegant colors, I have the feeling that we can bring something quite unseen.”  Guillaume Delvigne

Procédés Chénel (France) + Rodolfo Agrella (US)

“The time spent at Procédés Chénel facilities in Vanves, at the peripheries of Paris, was an exceptional boost for my creation process, as well as a personal growth. It allowed me full immersion with their staff, recollecting immediate and honest information about their wonderful material, technologies and outstanding crafts abilities, but the must important piece of information was the history behind every patented creation, every folding technique, every centimeter of their “greenhouse” showroom. Working side by side with the lovely staff, absorbing several decades of material knowledge expressed in a few words between French, English and lots of laughs, lead me to have a total perspective shift of Procédés Chénel’s product. By manipulating their technology and crafting traditions while honoring the legacy of Mr. Chénel, we manifested an innovative, elegant and fun way to use “papier” as a volume-creator and color blocking material that supports a poetic concept.”  Rodolfo Agrella

About OUI Design

Launched in 2016, Oui Design is a program developed by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and its partner foundation FACE, in order to foster creative exchange in design between France and the U.S.

Oui Design is supported by Institut français-Paris, the French Ministry of Culture, FACE Foundation, the Florence Gould Foundation. Additional support for women artists has been provided by CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts & Culture.

Additional support for WantedDesign projects has been provided by XL Airways and Domaine de Boisbuchet.