ANDRÉ SORNAY [ Design September event ]

Fine Art Studio invites you in a unique setting to discover an exclusive exhibition of André Sornay's post-war furniture within the Parcours Vintage of the Design September Brussels festival.

This exhibition was born from a collaboration with the Alain Marcepoil Gallery in Paris, which specialises in furniture and Art Deco period objects (1920 -1930). Alain Marcepoil, who is originally from Lyon, set to reveal the creations of André Sornay to the public and has done so with great talent for the past fifteen years. His passion for Art Deco has set his gallery apart in numerous prestigious salons including the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris, the B.R.A.F.A. in Belgium, the Biennale de Monaco, the Design Art London fair and The New York International Art & Design Fair.

As an avant-garde artist in Art Deco, André Sornay developed a distinctive style combining sleek and modern lines. This cabinetmaker from Lyon wished to make art more accessible. In order to do so he invented new techniques rooted in the budding industrial age. He used novel materials to create furniture that could fit in smaller locations, spaces that had been reduced due to the Great War. His creations were made from steel and wood, Oregon pine and Duco lacquer, rubber or permatex, and they made a perfect complement to the architectural and environmental drawings of the time. Sornay entirely transformed classic means of production when he started running the family business. As early as 1922 he started creating custom-made or multifunctional furniture pieces: shelves, lamps, seats, pieces linked together with "tigettes", tables and unique consoles.

André Sornay created the "tigette Sornay" after the war: it was a a new and revolutionary system of "kit" furniture assembly. It could be set up in furniture used by communities and individuals. Considering the interchangeability of elements within the pieces of furniture, making replacements and repairs as easy as possible soon appeared as an undeniable advantage. A bookshelf, dated 1967, has a number of different storage possibilities. It is both attractive and practical and André Sornay combined lacquered wood and solid mahogany borders in its structure.

On this occasion a signing of the book entitled Signé Sornay. and published by the Alain Marcepoil gallery shall take place on 29th September, during the opening cocktail, beginning at 6pm. It is the only exhaustive reference publication about André Sornay in print today. The book is available at the Fine Art Studio gallery.

Biography of André Sornay - Click here

8 September > 22 October 2011

Tuesday - Saturday | 11H-18H

Contact:

Tel: +32 2 514 25 92

Email: fas@fineartstudio.be

Biography of ANDRÉ SORNAY

André Sornay (1902-2000) studied at the Ecole des Beaux Art in Lyon. His ambition to complement art with architecture established him as a direct follower of the Bauhaus and the Stjil within the Union of Modern Artists (UAM). Other avant-garde creators were also part of the Union including Pierre Chabeau or Le Corbusier.

In 1932 he registered a patent for his new furniture assembly technique. The "cloutage" allowed the assembly of thin wood veneered panels directly upon the structure of the piece. This process was a genuine decorative element and became his signature feature.

Two other patents followed (1945 and 1953) includng the "Tigette Sornay", "a combinable and removable part for the furniture and construction trades".

He mainly displayed his work in the Salons d'Automne in Lyon. He also took part in two international exhibitions in 1925 and 1937 in Paris.

Biographie d'ANDRÉ SORNAY

André Sornay (1902-2000) a étudié à l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Lyon.

De par sa volonté de complémentarité entre l'art et l'architecture, il s'intégra en droite ligne du Bauhaus et du mouvement de Stijl à l'Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM). D'autres créateurs avant-gardistes en faisaient aussi partie, tels que Pierre Chareau ou Le Corbusier.

En 1932, il déposa un brevet pour sa nouvelle technique d'assemblage. Le cloutage réunit, au niveau de la structure du meuble, des panneaux plaqués d'essences fines. Ce procédé, véritable élément décoratif, devint sa marque de fabrique.

Deux autres brevets suivront (1945 et 1953) dont la "Tigette Sornay" qui consiste en un "élément combinable et démontable pour ameublement et construction".

Il exposa principalement aux Salons d'Automne de Lyon. Il participa également à deux expositions internationales en 1925 et 1937 à Paris.

Biography of ANDRÉ SORNAY

André Sornay (1902-2000) heeft gestudeerd aan de Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Lyon.

Door zijn streven naar complementariteit tussen kunst en architectuur, sloot hij naadloos aan bij Bauhaus, de beweging De Stijl en de Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM). Ook andere avant-gardistische ontwerpers zoals Pierre Chareau of Le Corbusier maakten er deel van uit.

In 1932 vroeg hij een octrooi aan voor zijn nieuwe assemblagetechniek. De meubelstructuur bestaat uit genagelde fineerpanelen met fijne oliën. Dit procedé was een puur decoratief element en is zijn fabrieksmerk geworden.

Twee andere octrooien zullen later nog volgen (1945 en 1953) o.m. voor de "Tigette Sornay", of een "combineerbaar en demonteerbaar element voor meubels en constructie". Hij stelde vooral tentoon tijdens de Salons d'Automne de Lyon en nam in 1925 en 1937 ook deel aan twee internationale tentoonstellingen in Parijs.

ANDRÉ SORNAY [ Design September event ]