Pierre Gonalons is no stranger to pushing the envelope. The Parisian interior designer, architect and creative director is well-known for combining the trend-defying with the traditional, and the minimalist with the avant-garde. He touches down in Hong Kong with the exhibition Design Works, showcasing a range of pieces as part of the arts and culture festival Le French May. Ahead of his exhibition’s opening, we speak to the designer about the holy grail of marble and his unexpected love for all things classical.

My creations have always a conceptual approach; they always have something to say. They are almost literary—each piece introduces a little storytelling, a part of a larger narrative, that each of us can interpret in our own way. Each piece has a range of references that inspired it, whether from the past or from more recent times. Most of the time I reference the classical decorative arts era, but I try not to make it too obvious. I admit that I’m very influenced by classical painting.

I think art is a form of freedom, whether functional or not. Art is present everywhere. When an object goes beyond its function, it begins to be artistic. But the relationship between art and design in the market in a different issue; it’s a fact that I can show more intellectual and personal works in galleries rather than through the design industry.

I have complete admiration for the work of René Lalique as a global designer and producer. I know contemporary design very well and there are a lot of nice creations, but I remain very interested in pre-war design.

I wanted the Extraction series to be more abstract while at the same time very graphic and poetic. There were a lot of inspirations—minimalist art, brutalist architecture—but I also wanted to express the power of the marble. I wanted the result to evoke the physical extraction of the material from the quarry. Grand Antique marble is a very rare and depleted marble, and when I heard that the quarry for it was reopened, I immediately wanted to work with it. It’s really the holy grail of marbles—even Louis XIV tried to find the quarry, which had been closed since the Renaissance. But he was unsuccessful.

At the moment, I am renovating an artistic loft apartment and designing a famous bar in the heart of Le Marais, which is currently being renovated. The bar is predominantly marble, so it’s a good playground for me. I am also designing two product lines for luxury furniture brands. Finally, during this year I will present new pieces for Ascète, my range of lights and furniture.

I would love to decorate a historical place or design some contemporary jewellery.

Pierre Gonalons: Design Works runs from May 27 to June 26 at the Above and Beyond lounge at Hotel Icon, open from 2.30pm to 5.30pm daily.

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