Daphné Keraudren
SUSPENDED METAL SEATS
BREATHING LIFE INTO STILLNESS WITH METAL SCULPTURES
Daphné Keraudren, a visionary architect of French-Greek descent, defies traditional notions of art and architecture with her striking metal hanging seating structures. Vibrant sculptures crafted by her grace public spaces, museums, and private collections, delving into the aspects of architecture that are often overlooked, forbidden, or dismissed due to their social, economic, and political contexts. In her latest creation, "Playground," she suspended yellow metal seats from the grand balconies of Brussels Courthouse's interior, offering people a fresh perspective to experience the building's architecture.
Keraudren is renowned for her innovative approach to sculptural design, particularly in the realm of metalwork. She fearlessly explores the raw, rugged beauty of metals, experimenting with a diverse range of techniques, from traditional blacksmithing to cutting-edge technologies like laser cutting and 3D printing. Her work stands out for its ability to infuse life and movement into static metal, resulting in sculptures that defy gravity and flow with organic fluidity. Each piece tells a unique story, taking viewers on a captivating visual journey filled with profound emotions and thought-provoking ideas.
In a previous collaboration with Ateliers J&J, the architect beautifully combined her project "Use at your own risk" (2021) with the production system of the Ateliers. The versatile design of these pieces allows them to harmoniously fit both private and public outdoor settings, blending expert craftsmanship with in-situ adaptability concerning functionality and typology. Describing her "Use at your own risk" collection, Keraudren elucidates, "They offer a fresh perspective on the city and its usage, prompting contemplation on the appropriation of public space and addressing various legal and urban planning matters. Each object, suspended from Amsterdam's existing infrastructure, signifies a negotiation between the self and the other, the public and the private, and the outside and the inside."
