The universe of Henri Matisse
Image Credits: © Maison Matisse |
Maison Matisse is a house of design objects, created by a mix of emerging and well-established designers, all inspired by the art and universe of Henri Matisse; founded by the fourth generation of Henri Matisse descendants. Tous Mag spoke with CEO - Eliana Di Modica - about how one of the best loved artists, Henri Matisse, continues to inspire contemporary creations to this day. Read the full article, below!
Words: Eliana Di Modica – CEO, Maison Matisse |
The starting point of this project, for Matisse’s family, was the observation that Henri Matisse’s works are often copied on various kinds of items, not always as great as they could be. The family wished to share the talent of Henri Matisse by creating objects that were inspired by his universe but with a respectful and qualitative interpretation. Maison Matisse aims to communicate and share the boldness and universal values of Henri Matisse - optimism, simplicity, challenge - through a unique approach exploring how the heritage of Matisse continues to inspire contemporary creations, nowadays.
We wish to craft contemporary and bold creations, as Matisse did in his time, using his world as a strong inspiration for emerging or famous designers’ work. The pieces presented in our collections are functional objects with a value linked to the designers’ works and craftsmanship. Objects are very important in Henri Matisse’s practice so we produce them in collaboration with artisans/craftsmen, first because handcraft refers to Matisse’s practice, secondly, to give an additional emotion and sensitivity to our pieces.
For us, emotional aspects are just as important as aesthetics. We recognise that, nowadays, boundaries between art, design, fashion, etc. are more and more permeable: younger generations are interested in design, art, creativity, and are looking for pieces with a meaningful story. Maison Matisse wishes to offer “everyday” and audacious products with a unique and high quality “savoir faire”, produced by craftsmen who are able to tell a story and truly inspire emotions. Just as Henri Matisse’s paintings do. Our aim is not to recreate Matisse’s objects, but to explore his strong heritage and thus continue to inspire creativity today.
Our biggest ambition is to share the values of Henri Matisse, through creative projects. We want to take part in the design scene and more widely to be part of the contemporary movement as Matisse did at his time. Maison Matisse develops two sorts of collections: limited and unlimited. The limited editions are created to celebrate and highlight major moments of Henri Matisse’s life. They are inspired by his whole universe; a hymn to creativity, and represent an opportunity for designers to explore a wider interpretation of Matisse’s work. The unlimited editions offer interpretations of the formal language of Henri Matisse’s work, inspired from one particular artwork. The aim of the unlimited collection is to speak to a wider audience while the limited collections are addressed to collectors. We are planning to present 2 to 3 unlimited collections a year.
The first collection was “La Musique”, created in collaboration with Marta Bakowski, presented last January and now available to buy in our e-shop. A second permanent collection, inspired by Matisse’s artwork “Intérieur aux Aubergines” (painted in 1911), created in collaboration with a new designer, will be launched in the months ahead. We will look to introduce furniture and then home accessories in the next collections, too. We are very excited about our forthcoming launches and we look forward to sharing with you all the details about this project!
