Un Architecte Dans L'atelier Ettore Sottsass

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Un Architecte Dans L'atelier Ettore Sottsass Dossier de presse Exposition temporaire Un architecte dans l'atelier Ettore Sottsass 23 novembre 2013 – 8 avril 2014 2 3 4 Sommaire 7 Communiqué de presse L'exposition 8 Présentation 9 Les œuvres en porcelaine (1993 - 1996) 10 Les œuvres en porcelaine et en verre (2005) 10 Un architecte au Centre international de recherche sur le verre et les arts plastiques, Cirva 13 Biographie d'Ettore Sottass Les partenaires 15 Le Centre international de recherche sur le verre et les arts plastiques, Cirva (Marseille) 15 La Cité de la céramique – Sèvres & Limoges 16 Le Musée national Adrien Dubouché 16 Visuels disponibles pour la presse 17 Autour de l'exposition 19 Informations pratiques Visite de presse vendredi 22 novembre de 10 h à 12 h 30 Inauguration vendredi 22 novembre de 18 h à 21 h Contact presse Pierre Houdeline Chargé des publics et de la communication [email protected] Tél : + 33 (0)5 55 33 08 50 5 Diane, 1994 Porcelaine nouvelle, mise au point à la Manufacture en 1882 © Gérard Jonca / Cité de la céramique – Sèvres & Limoges Kachina 10 (2006 – 2012) Réalisation Cirva, Marseille, éditions Galerie Mourmans (Pays-Bas) © Jean Bernard 6 Communiqué de presse Du 23 novembre 2013 au 8 avril 2014, le Musée national Adrien Dubouché présente l'exposition Un architecte dans l'atelier – Ettore Sottsass, une rétrospective des œuvres de l'architecte et designer Ettore Sottsass (1917 – 2007) réalisées à la Manufacture nationale de Sèvres et au Centre international de recherche sur le verre et les arts plastiques, le Cirva, situé à Marseille. Ettore Sottsass, l'un des plus grands designers du XXe siècle, demeure célèbre pour ses réalisations architecturales, ses créations de mobilier et d'appareils électroniques. On pourrait ainsi croire que l'ensemble de ses productions est né au cœur de l'usine, fruit de la transcription d'une idée par des procédés industriels. Il n'en est rien : avec le verre et la porcelaine, Sottsass a expérimenté le travail dans l'atelier en dialogue avec des maîtres-artisans aux savoir-faire d'exception et qui font appel à toute l'intelligence de la main. Peu connues du grand public, les 61 œuvres de porcelaine et de verre présentées dans l'exposition sont pourtant une parfaite illustration de son approche du design. En opposition aux canons hérités du Bauhaus, qui prônaient une esthétique fonctionnelle, rectiligne et industrielle, Ettore Sottsass a développé un design qui se voulait vivant, mû par la couleur et la fantaisie de la ligne. Confrontant les matériaux ancestraux et nobles que sont la porcelaine et le verre, Ettore Sottsass a fait montre d'une incroyable liberté et modernité. Invité en 1993 à la Manufacture de Sèvres, Ettore Sottsass entame un dialogue fascinant avec un matériau nouveau pour lui : la porcelaine. Il dessine alors une série de quatorze vases aux couleurs les plus subtiles. Ces vases majestueux adoptent les lignes très architecturales que le designer avait déjà expérimentées dans ses créations de mobilier. Ils portent tous des prénoms d'héroïnes féminines historiques, mythologiques ou littéraires : Lolita, Cléopâtre, Joséphine, Salomé... Cet ensemble est complété par un étonnant surtout blanc et or aux formes jusqu'alors inédites à Sèvres. Grâce au galeriste et ami d'Ettore Sottsass, Ernest Mourmans, une nouvelle collaboration est engagée en 2005 ; un second atelier entre en jeu, celui du Cirva. Ettore Sottsass confie aux deux ateliers cinq dessins de vases et de coupes qui exploitent toutes les possibilités esthétiques du mariage de la porcelaine de Sèvres et du verre. Ettore Sottsass est revenu à de multiples reprises au Cirva. De 1997 jusqu’à sa mort en 2007, il propose des séries de dessins pour le verre, une matière qu’il affectionne depuis longtemps. Véritables hymnes à la vie, ses créations abandonnent les lignes droites pour se laisser porter par la plasticité de ce matériau et la vivacité des couleurs. Quatre séries sont ainsi réalisées : huit premiers vases (1998/1999), les séries Lingam et Xiangzheng (1999/2004) et la série Kachinas (2006/2012). L'exposition reflète un éclectisme de références et un ton empreint d'humour. Des couleurs et des formes joyeuses se dégagent une sensualité immédiate et une fascinante inventivité. Commissariat : Isabelle Reiher, directrice du Cirva Autour de l'exposition : Visites commentées : mercredi 18 décembre et 22 janvier, dimanche 2 février, samedi 15 février, dimanche 2 mars, samedi 15 mars, et dimanche 6 avril à 14 h. Vernissage pour les enfants : mercredi 4 décembre de 14 h 30 à 16 h 30. Ateliers en famille : mercredi 15 janvier, 19 février, 5 mars et samedi 22 mars de 14 h 30 à 17 h. Ateliers d'écriture spontanée : samedi 14 décembre, dimanche 23 février et samedi 29 mars de 10 h à 12 h 30 ; samedi 11 et dimanche 26 janvier, dimanche 16 mars de 14 h 30 à 17 h. 7 L'exposition Présentation L'exposition Un architecte dans l'atelier – Ettore Sottsass réunit pour la première fois la totalité de la collection de vases d'Ettore Sottsass créée à la Manufacture de Sèvres et présente les quatre séries d’œuvres en verre imaginées au Centre international de recherche sur le verre et les arts plastiques, Cirva, entre 1997 et 2012. Après une première présentation à Sèvres, l'exposition est accueillie au Musée national Adrien Dubouché du 23 novembre 2013 au 8 avril 2014. L'exposition présente 61 œuvres de l'architecte et designer italien, fruit de sa collaboration avec deux grandes institutions dédiées aux arts du feu qui, dans le cadre de leurs missions de service public, ont eu la chance de mettre leurs savoir-faire à son service. Dans le parcours exceptionnel d'Ettore Sottsass, le travail dans l'atelier, la rencontre et le dialogue avec les techniciens et les artisans a toujours occupé un espace privilégié. « Dans ce lieu silencieux, tandis que je passais dans les ateliers saluer les personnes qui travaillaient dans ces édifices blancs, aspirant en permanence à une perfection singulière, j'étais accueilli avec un sourire aimable, comme on salue un compagnon de voyage, un compagnon dans le risque. Ces personnes intenses, si gentilles, m'invitaient de leur sourire à risquer en leur compagnie. Et c'est ainsi que j'ai risqué avec eux. » Ettore Sottsass, in Ettore Sottsass – Sèvres, le temps d'un voyage, Éditions Bernard Chauveau, collection Couleurs contemporaines, p. 8. Ettore Sottsass dans l'atelier du Cirva, 2000 © Cirva Le parcours s'attache à dévoiler les créations d'Ettore Sottsass comme de « mini- architectures », des sculptures étranges et colorées qui constituent autant d'objets de méditation mis en valeur par des socles dessinés par Michele De Lucchi, artiste et ami d'Ettore Sottsass. 8 Les œuvres en porcelaine (1993 - 1996) C'est dans les années 1960, à la suite d'un voyage en Inde, qu'Ettore Sottsass se lance dans la création d’œuvres en céramique exposées pour la première fois à Turin en 1993. Cette même année, invité à la Manufacture nationale de Sèvres pour concevoir de nouvelles formes, Ettore Sottsass se laisse séduire par la porcelaine, cette matière aussi fabuleuse qu'imprévisible. Le résultat de ce dialogue entre le créateur et les maîtres-artisans, le dessin et la matière, aboutit à la création d'une série de quatorze vases aux coloris subtils et suaves, dont les volumes géométriques se superposent tel un jeu de construction. Parfois, la stricte verticalité de l'objet est perturbée à dessein par un dernier élément incliné qui rompt un équilibre trop parfait. Ettore Sottsass souligne ainsi la fragilité de la porcelaine en même temps qu'il lui insuffle de la vie. Ces petites architectures portent toutes des prénoms d'héroïnes féminines historiques ou littéraires : Lolita, Cléopâtre, Juliette, Joséphine, Salomé... Ce sont des créations très structurées qui évoquent alors la force mythologique de grandes figures emblématiques de la culture universelle. L'ensemble est enfin complété par un étonnant surtout blanc et or aux formes inédites qui réinterprète avec modernité la tradition des centres de tables monumentaux. Ce premier dialogue, véritable succès esthétique et commercial, fait des œuvres d'Ettore Sottsass des productions emblématiques de la Manufacture. Surtout, 1996 Porcelaine tendre (variante du XVIIIe siècle, remise au point à la Manufacture vers 1980) et or © Gérard Jonca / Cité de la céramique – Sèvres & Limoges 9 Les œuvres en porcelaine et en verre (2005) Grâce au galeriste et ami d'Ettore Sottsass, Ernest Mourmans, la collaboration entre la Manufacture de Sèvres et le designer reprend en 2005. Elle inclut alors un second atelier, celui du Cirva, alors dirigé par Françoise Guichon. Les deux institutions unissent leurs savoir-faire pour marier la porcelaine et le verre. Une série de vases et de coupes aux références orientalistes et aux titres tziganes (Cožek, Rababah, Ederceszi, Jogî et Csàrdà) est issue de cette rencontre entre les deux matériaux et les deux ateliers. Les œuvres mêlent verre et céramique, matériaux ancestraux et nobles, reliés par de simples ficelles ou fils de fer. Yogi (incantatore di serpi), 2006 Edercezsi, 2006 Vase bleu en porcelaine de Sèvres sur socle en marbre blanc, éléments en Vase blanc semi mat et porcelaine tendre verte, couleurs de grand feu verre poli jaune Coédition avec la galerie Mourmans et le Cirva Coproduction avec la galerie Mourmans et le Cirva © Gérard Jonca / Cité de la céramique – Sèvres & Limoges © Gérard Jonca / Cité de la céramique – Sèvres & Limoges Les céramiques réalisées par Ettore Sottsass à Sèvres peuvent être considérées comme la synthèse de son talent. On y retrouve le goût pour le jeu des matières et des couleurs associé aux savoir-faire traditionnels et à l'artisanat d'art. Ces vases-architectures rendent hommage aux techniques de tournage pratiquées depuis toujours dans les ateliers de Sèvres, concentrant ainsi « la force et la préciosité de savoir-faire hérités du XVIIIe siècle ».
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