Title
A Passion for Jean Prouvé
Posted In
Art, Exhibition
Duration
06 April 2013 to 08 September 2013
Venue
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli
Detailed Information
TitleA Passion for Jean ProuvéPosted InArt, ExhibitionDuration06 April 2013 to 08 September 2013
VenuePinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

‘A Passion for Jean Prouvé’ opened its doors on Saturday, April 6th 2013 - and is scheduled to be exhibited up until September 8th, 2013 - at the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli in Turin, Italy. Featuring pieces from Laurence and Patrick Seguin’s private collection, the exhibition showcases architecture and furniture from iconic French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer Jean Prouvé.

'Cité' armchair, ca.1933 Sheet steel, leather and stretched canvasCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

'Cité' armchair, ca.1933 Sheet steel, leather and stretched canvas
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

A man of many talents whose design skills were not limited to one discipline, Jean Prouvé excelled in architectural design, structural design, industrial design and furniture design. His talent in transferring industrial manufacturing technology to architecture, without sacrificing aesthetic qualities is what led Laurence and Patrick Seguin of Galerie Patrick Seguin to avidly begin collecting Prouvé’s work which they discovered towards the end of the 1980s. Prouvé’s unique aesthetic instantaneously seduced them - where the artistic effort can only be seen in the nearly imperceptible technical mastery which brings out the materials used in the design. 

Cafétéria N°300 demountable chair, ca.1950Bent sheet steel and molded plywoodCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Cafétéria N°300 demountable chair, ca.1950
Bent sheet steel and molded plywood
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

The exhibition ‘A Passion for Jean Prouvé’ features approximately forty works from the Seguin collection which are predominantly prototypes as well as rare pieces including the armchairs designed for the Nancy University dormitory and the light armchair created for the University of Antony (1954).

Features such as the functionality and coherent fabrication that the designer applied to his furniture often destined for the public sector are also reflected in his architectural designs where clever mechanisms and solid structures allowed for easy assemblage, modification, and dissasemblage. The aluminum Maison Metropole showcases Prouvé’s knowledge of materials and is an ongoing tribute to this artist and craftsman. Initially designed as a rural school prototype and teacher housing intended for mass production, Maison Metropole measures 8x12 meters and was constructed twice, once in Bouqueval, near Paris, then in Vantoux in Moselle (currently exhibited in Turin). Four people took three days to assemble Maison Metropole on the roof of Turin's Lingotto building in Via Nizza; A building once housed an automobile factory built by FIAT. Construction started in 1916 and the building opened in 1923. The design (by young architect Matté Trucco) was unusual in that it had five floors, with raw materials going in at the ground floor, and cars built on a line that went up through the building. Finished cars emerged at rooftop level, where there was a rooftop test track.

Watch the following video which conveys Maison Metropole's assembly process on the roof of Turin's Lingotto building.

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feetrebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italyphoto Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feet
rebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italy
photo Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feet, INTERIORrebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, ItalyCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feet, INTERIOR
rebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italy
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Fauteuil léger No 356, a.k.a. «Antony chair»,
version with cushioned sheath in leatherette, 1955Sheet steel, steel tube, molded plywood and leatheretteCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Fauteuil léger No 356, a.k.a. «Antony chair»,
version with cushioned sheath in leatherette, 1955
Sheet steel, steel tube, molded plywood and leatherette
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feetrebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italyphoto Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feet
rebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italy
photo Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

The Lingotto building, photo by Massimo ListriCourtesy of Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

The Lingotto building, photo by Massimo Listri
Courtesy of Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feetrebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italyphoto Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

Metropole aluminum house, ca. 1949, metal aluminum and wood 8x12 m, 26,2x 39,4 feet
rebuilt on the test track atop the Lingotto, Turin, Italy
photo Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

The famous track on the roof of the Lingotto buildingphoto Courtesy of Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

The famous track on the roof of the Lingotto building
photo Courtesy of Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

Direction N° 352 office chair, 1951Bent sheet steel, steel tube, leather and woodCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Direction N° 352 office chair, 1951
Bent sheet steel, steel tube, leather and wood
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Stool N°307, 1951Steel tube, pressed aluminum sheet, wood clogsCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Stool N°307, 1951
Steel tube, pressed aluminum sheet, wood clogs
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Direction No 353 swiveling office chair, 1951Bent sheet steel, steel tube, sheet aluminum "diamond point" motif, leatherette and woodCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Direction No 353 swiveling office chair, 1951
Bent sheet steel, steel tube, sheet aluminum "diamond point" motif, leatherette and wood
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Jean Prouvé, Granipoli Table de Refectoire, 1939Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Jean Prouvé, Granipoli Table de Refectoire, 1939
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

A Passion For Jean Prouvé, Installation viewphoto Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

A Passion For Jean Prouvé, Installation view
photo Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

Colonial-type Armchair N° 352, variation, ca.1952Steel tube, aluminum sheet, galvanized steel sheet and woodCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Colonial-type Armchair N° 352, variation, ca.1952
Steel tube, aluminum sheet, galvanized steel sheet and wood
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Demountable wooden chair CB 22, 1947Solid wood, molded plywood and aluminum tubeCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Demountable wooden chair CB 22, 1947
Solid wood, molded plywood and aluminum tube
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

A Passion For Jean Prouvé, Installation viewphoto Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

A Passion For Jean Prouvé, Installation view
photo Courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin

'Cité' Chair, 1932Steel tube and solid woodCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

'Cité' Chair, 1932
Steel tube and solid wood
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Demountable wooden chair CB 22, 1947Solid wood, molded plywood and aluminum tubeCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Demountable wooden chair CB 22, 1947
Solid wood, molded plywood and aluminum tube
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Métropole No 305 chair, version with seat and backrest in aluminum, ca. 1953Bent sheet steel, steel tube and sheet aluminumCollection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

Métropole No 305 chair, version with seat and backrest in aluminum, ca. 1953
Bent sheet steel, steel tube and sheet aluminum
Collection Laurence and Patrick Seguin © Galerie Patrick Seguin

A Passion For Jean Prouvé

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