EXHIBITION BOOKLET “La Luce” is an itinerant exhibition constantly growing, where new editions and new “We believe that, when designing architecture and objects, we are obliged to look discoveries, like newly restored original pieces, are added at each new opening”, says forward and to look back at the same time, between traces of the past and ambitions the curator Valentina Folli who designed the exhibition with her Studio UNA. for the future, to reach the idea of “good project”, that inspires our work.

La Luce exhibition, originally conceived as a chronological path intertwining Le When speaking of and Charlotte Perriand, Nemo is the contemporary Corbusier's and Charlotte Perriand's selected works on lighting had to be re-arranged interpreter of the projects suggested by them. Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand’s for the Saint-Pierre church, due to the open masterplan of the church’s basement. lamps were designed to be absolute projects, but they were realized exclusively for As the basement composition of adjoining rooms leaves the visitor free to move around the architectures for which they were designed. and contemplate the space from different angles, so the exhibition flow was organized into thematic areas, connected to each other. Nemo, the Le Corbusier Foundation and Pernette Perriand took together the original suggestion and realized projects that are and will be a reference in the design world. The rhythm of the exhibition is also designed to follow the façade succession of Quality of product is found in its discreet presence in every environment. Its being windows and walls and the building floor shifts: Le Corbusier on the ground floor, does not need aesthetic justifications and it lives simply by doing its job. In the same Perriand in the mezzanine. A stretched out visiting pace, to discover the original way, those lamps, created for innovative and strongly modern architectural and inte- prototypes through the exhibition, to explore the space, and to immerse into the rior projects, suggest a timeless quality that makes them simple, iconic and always Masters pioneering visions. authentic.

Nemo’s job, along with Le Corbusier Foundation and Charlotte Perriand’s Archives, consisted in calibrating details, finishes and technical updates, without ever betraying For the first time, in Firminy, there will be also a parallel path for children, the original essence of the products, in order not to fall in the nostalgic or in the vin- a series of illustrated panels will tell the story and anecdotes for a selection of lamps, tage and not to change the spartan and sophisticated nature that makes them unique. explaining the importance of design and the ideas behind them. For this reason, Nemo, after the studies and selection of these last years, wishes to share this exclusive material, for the first time, in an exercise that we believe it is beautiful, useful and new.”

Federico Palazzari, CEO of NEMO.

Illustrations by Giulia Rossena LE CORBUSIER : INDUSTRIAL FORMS

Quite early in his career, Le Corbusier payed a particular attention to the interior L’ APPLIQUE decoration of his buildings. He created himself furniture and lamps in order to ESPRIT NOUVEAU / LA ROCHE accomodate every special need. The first creations were mostly inspired by the functionalism of the industrial era: Le Corbusier rejected ornements and worked on "machines" to light (see quote).

THE SCHWOB LAMPS This applique (wall lamp) was conceived for the Pavillon de l’Esprit Nouveau presented during a decorative arts exhibition in 1924. It was then remade for the staircase of the Maison La Roche - a private house near - in 1925. In 1916, Le Corbusier designed the , located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, his birthtown in Switzerland. The 19-year- This lamp is an example of a creation made with old architect created two surprising lamps : existing items, also called "ready-made" technique. • The chandelier (top right picture), which original Le Corbusier chosed to use Chalier lamps shape was designed copying the plan of the villa. originally conceived to light shop windows. The naked light bulbs are willingly unhidden on a He used only the tube and added two simple metallic grid. brackets. • The floor lamp (exhibited here) was inspired by The lack of ornements shows the object in its purest urban lighting furniture. Le Corbusier transformed a form and highlights its functionnality, as described functional object into a interior decorating item. The light by Arthur Ruegg, a Professor of architecture, and bulb he chose was a car headlight in order to get more light. author of several reference books about Le Corbusier's

design (see quote).

The item presented here is the original lamp created for the

Maison La Roche, where it was replaced by a Nemo reedition.

First part: LE CORBUSIER First part: LE CORBUSIER LAMPE ET APPLIQUE ORGANIC FORMS "DE "

The « Marseille » lamps are among Le Corbusier's design masterpieces. Their names After World War II, Le Corbusier's design evolved. He slowly stopped using were chosen for Nemo Lighting marketing. They come from the proximity of shapes right angles and funtional forms and started using more organical shapes. between these two models - even though the applique was never used in Marseille. Le Corbusier liked walking in nature and used to collect rocks, Both lamps are composed of two superimposed cones providing a double emission of shells and plants which he then sketched and used as a source light: of inspiration. He called them "Objets à réaction poétique" • upwards, directed to the ceiling and replacing the natural light. (objects of poetic reaction). • downwards, in order to light the wall paintings or for reading.

ESCARGOT [LC I]

The snail ("escargot" in French) is one the The "applique de Marseille" was created by Le Corbusier most frequent inspiration in the architect's for his studio-apartment in Paris where he lived from work. 1934 on. Thanks to the peculiar shape of the snail shell, he can hide the light bulb and reflect it at the same time. The light flux is thus more subtle and not dazzlingly bright. The "lampe de Marseille" is an adjustable wall lamp with two joints on the arm and a rotating wall fixing. It was This lamp was meant to be outdoors but sometimes was used designed for the Cité Radieuse in Marseille. indoors, for instance in the Housing Units. You can see it in the hall of Firminy's building.

First part : LE CORBUSIER Next room PremièreFirst part: partie: LE CORBUSIER LE CORBUSIER LAMPE EN BÉTON [LC IV] APPLIQUE D’ENTRÉE [LC III]

The first model of this Lampe" en béton" (concrete lamp) was designed for The inner streets of the Housing Units are lit up by individual wall lamps ("applique" the park of the Cité Radieuse in Marseille. Several different versions were in French) located on top of each apartment door. conceived afterwards, for instance in the Indian city of Chandigarh (top Facing the doors, these lamps punctuate the architecture by highlighting right picture). their colours.

A bigger version was designed for the Maison de la Culture Their profiles was inspired by the shape of a rock and, as with (Cultural Centre) in Firminy. A seat was added to transform the snail shell, provide a diffuse undazzling light. it into a bench/lamp which profile was inspired by the shape of a musical note. In Marseille, each lamp has the same colour as the door it lights up. In Firminy however, they exist only This lamp is now commercialised by Nemo in in dark grey. smaller versions easier to transport and adapt to current interior decors. The exhibited models (under glass) are two of the original lamps from the Housing Unit of Firminy (on loan from the OPH Firminy). This lamp may be one of Le Corbusier's most famous design as evidenced by the world-famous rapper Kanye West's interview (see quote).

First part: LE CORBUSIER First part: LE CORBUSIER Next room WALL LAMPS CHANDIGARH

LAMPE MAISON DU BRÉSIL In the 1950s, Le Corbusier started to work on the urban plan and the conception of a few buildings of the Indian city of Chandigarh. Lamps were reedited, adapted or created for the innovative architecture. In 1959, Le Corbusier conceived a college campus called the Maison du Brésil in the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris. For the rooms, he PROJECTEUR 365 designed wall lamps to be placed above the beds.

With its double emission - upwards and downwards- it lights up This lamp was created for the Palace of Justice. the room and can be used as a reading lamp at the same time. The original version reached a diametre of 365 mm. It was used as a model for a whole range of lamps: fixated onto a wall or a post, placed on the floor in a concrete shell or buried and covered by a glass panel. CABANON LAMPS Its design may seem familiar since it has been a source of inspiration for many contemporary lamps.

These two lamps were designed for the Cabanon, a little cabin built in 1951 and located in the South of near the Mediterranean Sea, where Le Corbusier used to go on vacation.

• The "lampe de lecture" (reading lamp) is a wall lamp inspired by the shape of a PARLIAMENT shell with a pivoting slide adapting the light flux.

• The "lampe à poser" (table lamp) is a ready-made This item is quite similar to the "lampe de Marseille": two cones providing creation: Thomas Rebutato, a friend of Le Corbusier's, a double emission upwards and downwards. found an exploded shell on the beach. With a copper frame This lamp post version was conceived for the Parliament of and tracing paper, the architect transformed it into a design lamp. Chandigarh. Nemo's items colours come from the interior decors original polychromy.

PremièreFirst part: partie: LE CORBUSIER LE CORBUSIER The exhibition continues in the staircase PremièreFirst part: partie: LE CORBUSIER LE CORBUSIER The exhibition continues upstairs CHARLOTTE PERRIAND : "READY-MADE" WALL LAMPS TRAVELS AND INSPIRATIONS Sometimes for economic reasons or purely aesthetic inspirations, Charlotte Perriand The Rio lamp shows how travels and foreign cultures were important inspirations in cleverly adopted the ready-made technique to create suprising lamps (see quote). Charlotte Perriand's work.

PHARE SAINT-SULPICE RIO - STRUCTURE POUR LANTERNES Charlotte Perriand needed a wall lamp for her apartment in Paris. She used a Grebel car headlight that she bought at the Salon de l'automobile - Paris Motor Show - and attached it with a In the 1940s, Charlotte Perriand was invited to by the Trade mechanical hinge. Minister. She discovered the philosophy and the art of living of this country, where she stayed several times.

In the 1960s, she went to Brazil on several occasions. She discovered this completely different culture, including POTENCE PIVOTANTE the Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religious tradition, involving music, dances, and voodoo rituals. This cantilevered lamp is one of the designer's most famous creations. It sums up the essence of her work: As Le Corbusier, she used to collect various • the ready-made technique: the original lamp was created with objects: fossils, fishbones, devil statues; many plumbing pipes and a naked light bulb, items that inspired her design work. • the sobriety of the forms: two straight lines and a right angle, This is how she created this structure for the lanterns • functionnalism: thanks to the pivot, this lamp can light a of the Japanese designer Isamu Noguchi as told by her large surface. daughter, Pernette Perriand-Barsac (see quote). The original lamp which is exhibited against the wall comes from Charlotte Perriand's studio-apartment. This lamp was much used in her everyday life, as described by her coworker and son-in-law, Jacques Barsac (see quote).

DeuxièmeSecond part: partie: Ch. PERRIAND Ch. PERRIAND Second part: Ch. PERRIAND Next room LAMPS WITH A PIVOTING SLIDE APPLIQUE À VOLET PIVOTANT SIMPLE, DOUBLE OU PLIÉ

Following her research in functional design, Charlotte Perriand conceived a range of Quintessential model of Charlotte Perriand's design, this lamp was created more than lamps with a pivoting slide adapting the light flux according to the needs. 50 years ago but is still surprisingly modern and functional.

Charlotte Perriand imagined a first version in 1962 for her chalet in Méribel, a winter resort in the French Alps. It was first meant to be a reading PIVOTANTE À POSER lamp for bunkbeds: the sliding part enables the reader not to disturb the others.

This lamp was never commercialised during Chralotte Perriand's lifetime. In the 1970s, she developed the range by creating two other The original lamp that is exhibited here was a non completed prototype. models: a double-length version and a double-length and It inspired Nemo Lighting to create the items they now folded version. commercialise. Nemo Lighting commercialises the three With its pivoting "door", this lamp provides an adjustable and versions in the original colours. wide light flux.

APPLIQUES CYLINDRIQUES

The colour and the light intensity of these wall lamps were meant to replace natural light at night or on cloudy days. The lamp is to be fixed next to a window and adapts to the standard dimensions of the latter.

Nemo's new item will be presented soon at the Salone del Mobile in .

Second part: Ch. PERRIAND Second part: Ch. PERRIAND End of the visit. -