A knife, train journeys, a jewel, a beer glass and books are just some of the revealing objects that have inspired Objet Pr̩f̩r̩, a unique collection of 15 pieces of furniture created following a workshop between young Fabrica designers and personnel Рcraftsmen, technicians, office staff Рof the Grand-Hornu Images cultural centre in Belgium.
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РAppartamento
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РBicchiere birra
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РColtello
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РComputer
An intense and rewarding week of exchanges, brainstorming, interviews and photographic sessions on the theme “Favourite Objectâ€, which led to the creation of 15 pieces of furniture that represent a perfect fusion between the creative and design talent of young artist-researchers from the Benetton Group’s communication research centre, and the expert skills of Grand-Hornu technicians. As stated by Sam Baron, responsible of the Fabrica design area, “the main challenge of this project was to illustrate, by means of a unique and special exhibition, the beauty of the favourite objects of Grand-Hornu personnel. Design therefore becomes a way of uniting communities of people of different background, language and age.
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РForchetta
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РGiardino
People like Marie-Jeanne Vanaise, from the educational department, who said that her favourite object was a 18th century silver fork on show at the Goldsmith’s Museum in Seneffe Castle in Belgium. A pointed object, but which at the same time recalls the curves of a voluptuous female figure. A somewhat “prohibited†object because, although visually accessible to all, it cannot be touched or used since it is protected by a showcase. The concierge Maryvonne, on the other hand, hates being in the dark and that’s why her favourite objects are modern chandeliers which, for her, symbolise light and therefore life.
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РLampadario
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РLetto
For David Vilain, electrician, the object he likes best is a big wooden aviary which he has in his garden and in which he breeds hundreds of birds. Hearing them sing, taking care of them and seeing them grow is, for David, a source of happiness and satisfaction. Her own first baby shoes are the favourite object of Françoise Foulon, director of Grand-Hornu Images. Given to her by her 91 year old mother, these shoes are for her a symbol of her first steps in life.
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РViaggi in treno
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РVoliera
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РSpilla
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РLibri
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РProfumo
Objet Pr̩f̩r̩ РScarpette e teschio
Photos by Gustavo Millon
Fabrica
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Fabrica is a communication research centre financed by the Benetton Group. It was created in 1994 with the aim of combining culture with industry and offering young people from around the world an opportunity for creative growth and multicultural interchange. Fabrica is based in Treviso, in a complex restored and enlarged by Tadao Ando. Fabrica invites young artists/designers to its centre, offering them a one-year study grant and providing them with a professional training opportunity and a wealth of resources and relations. The young resident artists develop cultural and social communication projects in the areas of design, visual communication, photography, interaction, video, music and publishing under the guidance of experts.
Grand-Hornu Images
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Founded in 1984, the non-profit association Grand-Hornu Images has, as its objective, the promotion of tourism and the local urban heritage by organising international exhibitions on applied design and arts and building up a design collection consistent with the exhibition policy. The association is today considered by the French-speaking community of Belgium as a flagship structure for the promotion of design. Grand-Hornu is an old mining complex, an important legacy of the industrial revolution. Built between 1810 and 1830 by Henri De Gorge, a captain of industry of French origin, it is a unique example of functional urbanism in Europe.
Objet Prefere
29 May 2011 – 23 October 2011
Grand-Hornu
Rue Sainte-Louise 82
BE 7301 Hornu
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