Dorian Renard
In London, working in an independent studio, he collaborated on the creation of products for Ikea Global and Habitat UK. But feeling too distant from the manufacturing process, he moved away from industrial design. Attracted by craftsmanship and seeking new experiences, he assisted Alex de Witte, accompanying him to the Czech Republic where the designer’s lamps are manufactured.
This fascination for glass and looking at the craftsmen employing their knowledge into this ever changing material fascinated him, he wanted to look at plastic with the same admiration. His two years of study at the Design Academy Eindhoven were formative, revealing his approach and his sculptural, experimental use of materials. Interested by subversive use of crafting techniques, he started to explore, translate the glass blowing techniques into this synthetic material. The idea was to confront the plastic to a new notion of beauty, one that is alluringly twist and bent instead of being industrially morose.
Now based in Marseille, he develops and crafts his pieces in a shared workshop near the old port. Beyond the function of the object, Dorian questions the meaning given to forms, freely exploring the limits of the material. This is reflected in his collection The Beauty of Distortion.