One would be hard-pressed not to mistake Lorenz Bäumer for an art collector.
The title, however, is welcomed by the illustrious jewellery designer, who first attracted global attention when he was tapped by Charlene, Princess of Monaco, to design her very own wedding tiara. Evident in Bäumer’s jewellery creations are an ardent meticulousness, a penchant for vibrant colours and a nomadic, audacious spirit—and he has applied the same ethos to collecting art.
“It is the reason I live, the heart of my being, where art and technology intersect,” says Bäumer. His art collection, which has been painstakingly-curated for a long time together with his wife, is a rich tapestry of everything from mid-century works to abstract paintings and contemporary sculptures, gracefully inundating his Paris home located steps away from the Paris Opera Theatre and Place Vendôme. These artistic gems certainly would look right at home in a gallery.
Man of steel
The home is punctuated by many one-of-a-kind sculptures, including this bar piece by Greece-born modernist artist Philolaos Tloupas. Crafted in stainless steel—a material that was long-favoured by and has almost become a symbol of the late artist—the work was also given a washed treatment that lends an architectural, industrial effect.
Pride of place
Among the statement works studded around the residence is the Programma lighting sculpture created by 1942-born artist Gianfranco Fini, also crafted in stainless steel. Its sleek, sterile aesthetics is juxtaposed against Japanese-born Yoichi Ohira’s glass collection—a blend of Murano-Italian style and the colours of the Japanese Edo period—that sits on the shelf of Paul Evans’ sculptural design.
Treasure trove
Born to a diplomat father and having grown up traversing between cultures and aesthetics, Bäumer’s nomadic spirit—and the memorabilia and rare finds collected throughout his voyages—are on full display on a rotating cabinet created by John Irving.
Joie de vivre
Rob Wynn’s A La Folie!—French for maddening enthusiasm—serves as the anchor of the master bedroom. The New York-based artist is known for his delicate mix-media projects, drawings and installations, creating striking visual implications through a play on visual syntax.
Sitting in front of the Tempur bed are bronze sculptures by Robert Couturier, a French architect and decorator.
Dramatic effect
Sarah Bernhardt. After Nadar from Rebus—a stunning work by Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, an old friend of Lorenz’s—takes pride of place in the dining room, which houses Ingo Maurer’s Porca Miseria, an intricate chandelier handcrafted in metal and porcelain lending to an avant-garde feel. Glassware and decorative pieces by Carlo Moretti and Baccarat are laid out alongside a plate designed by Lorenz Bäumer himself.
Photographs that are part of German artists Bernad and Hilla Blume’s Domestic Disasters series hang on the kitchen wall.
Images courtesy of Moon Ray Studio
Styling by Casa Botelho
