French designer Hervé Van Der Straeten has a collection of furniture, “STRUCTURE/S,” on view for the first time in the U.S. at Ralph Pucci International, opening January 31. Van Der Straeten keeps topping himself with every new creation, using fine materials like ebony, alabaster, and parchment. “I work a lot with proportion and the tension between architectural aspects of the pieces; the geometric volumes and how they fit together,” he says. “My work is always disturbing and intriguing.” The objects have all the strength and mysterious beauty of the jewelry collections that started his career. For the show, he is presenting a new selection of mirrors, like the playful “Miroir Lollypop,” shown here. Photo: Courtesy of Pucci International
Are they sculptures? Or, furniture? They are both. The “Chevet Insomnie” side tables or stools hold their own as functional art. Photo: Courtesy of Pucci International
This red lacquered aluminum “Console Passage” is a good example of Hervé’s light but powerful design aesthetic. Photo: Courtesy of Pucci International
Another mirror “Miroir Tumulte” is as delicate and prepossessing as a piece of fine jewelry. Photo: Courtesy of Pucci International
