This new series, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth, unveil the backstage of contemporary creation. Tackling various topics from personal designer processes to the position of collectible design on the global design market; these COLLECTIBLE In-Depth offer different views to suit all tastes. Today we talk with UNBUILT.

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COLLECTIBLE: What do you think about the position of contemporary collectible design on the design market? How do you think the contemporary collectible design market is evolving?

UNBUILT: UNBUILT presents works produced by the artists themselves. It reveals this natural and authentic impulse without trying to act in an artificial or external way in connection with commissions or editions. So the pieces are not predicted by the market. 

An hybrid form in-between genders that can be both an object and a work of art

C: How would you describe the boundary between functional art and collectible design? Where do you situate your practice between those two?

UNBUILT: I speak commonly about functional sculpture, a hybrid form in-between genders that can be both an object and a work of art. 

Taking an interest in objects conceived by artists rather than designers provides greater possibilities for intuition, invention, and empiricism, thereby making these objects more unique and endearing.

Design ascribes importance to nomenclature, templates, and strong technical constraints, in an effort to provide a small or large series of products of impeccable quality, albeit at the cost of concessions that sometimes compromise the designer’s initial idea. Designers consider the idea of an object—what is a table, what is a lamp—and impose it on a material. They are in search of a resolution, whereas design approached by an artist is more in line with open-ended questioning.

C: What are the challenges in presenting contemporary collectible design?

UNBUILT: To show unique pieces in close relationship with an artistic environment. The objects proposed by UNBUILT are conceived and experimented with in the magical workshop of the artist’s home.

C: What tips would you give to a collector who wishes to start collecting contemporary design?

UNBUILT: To be conducted by the sensuality of materials, the beauty of forms and the vitality of the
creation.

UNBUILT (David Dubois), The Leopold Chair. (2018) © David Dubois

About UNBUILT

Founded and directed by Alexandra Fau, UNBUILT unites furniture and objects created by French and international artists free of any convention. Unique and limited edition pieces made with intuition, invention and experience. Imagined with love, generosity or necessity.

UNBUILT brings together contemporary artists who think about objects. Emotional objects conceived with love, necessity, and generosity. Some pieces fully assume their use value, while others expressly call for a particular proprietor.

The objects selected by UNBUILT bring to mind design, all while escaping it via scale, standards, and non-reproducibility.