"‘An unprecedented initiative, the result of a one-of-a-kind research project, this fabulous collection represents the perfect synthesis of conceptual richness and excellence of execution.’
Trévise, May 2011. The book, the knife, the train journey, the piece of jewellery, the beer glass – these are just a few of the objects that reveal personality and have inspired ‘Objet préféré’, a unique collection of 15 pieces of furniture, created following a workshop between the young designers from Fabrica and the staff – craftsmen, technicians, employees – of Le Grand-Hornu in Belgium.
An intense and fruitful week of exchanges, discussions, interviews and photo shoots centred on the theme of ‘Favourite Object’ gave rise to 15 pieces of furniture that symbolise the perfect synthesis of the creative talent of Fabrica’s young experimental artists and the skill of the technicians at Grand-Hornu Images.
As Sam Baron, head of Fabrica’s design section, states, “the main challenge of this project was to convey, through a unique and special presentation, the beauty of the Grand-Hornu employees’ favourite objects.
Design thus emerges here as a means of uniting communities of people with different backgrounds, languages and ages”.
Marie-Jeanne Vanaise, a member of the education team, named an 18th-century silver fork on display at the Museum of Gold and Silverware at Seneffe Castle in Belgium as her favourite object. It is a pointed object, yet its curves evoke the sinuous forms of a voluptuous female figure.
An object with a ‘forbidden’ appeal because, although visually accessible to all, it cannot be touched or used as it is protected by a display case.
The caretaker, Maryvonne, for her part, hates the dark, which is why her favourite object is a modern chandelier, a symbol for her of light and therefore of life.
For David Vilain, an electrician, his favourite object is a large wooden aviary that he keeps in his garden, where he raises hundreds of birds. Listening to them sing, looking after them and watching them grow is a source of joy and satisfaction for David.
Françoise Foulon, director of Grand-Hornu Images, cherishes her baby’s first shoes. Given to her by her 91-year-old mother, these little shoes symbolise for her the first steps in life.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
