Carpenters Chalet

Carpenters Workshop Gallery is welcoming in the colder months with a group winter exhibition in Paris. Merging traditional and contemporary aesthetics, the show is themed around the notion of seeking comfort in winter through our surroundings with a particular focus on the mountain chalet as a unique environment. The exhibition features artworks from Vincenzo De Cotiis, Wendell Castle, Maarten Baas, Ingrid Donat, Nacho Carbonell, Zanine Caldas among others.  

 Historically, mountain chalets have been linked to the long-established archetype of minimalist interiors, steep pitches, stone walls, wooden cladding, warm lighting and rich tonality. Today, the modern chalet takes on a more inclusive aesthetic approach as it combines traditional with contemporary. This includes a melting pot of materials like glass, steel, concrete and wood, as well as a pairing of open-plan interiors, spa facilities and floor-to-ceiling windows providing a portal to the breathtaking mountainous environment. 

 Throughout the exhibition, a pastiche of the past and the present is brought to the fore through a mix of materiality, processes and styles. This can be seen in Franco Albini’s Wall Lights (1950-1954), constructed in a monochromatic palette and a juxtaposing medley of patinated brass and painted wood; Maarten Baas’ Grandmother Clock (2013), a sleek, curvy and modern take on the grandfather clock construed of brass and digital equipment; and Campana Brothers’ Autumn Sofa (2017), appearing like the aftermath of a forest fire and inviting the viewer to sit amongst a seat cast in iron and woven fabric. Zanine Caldas’ timeless Denuncia Stool (1980), which is created from reclaimed wood and presented in a slick and chunky design, will also be exhibiting alongside Wendell Castle’s A Sculpted Door (1976), which boasts a woven-like composition in a stark, jet-black tone conceived in a confrontational mix of maple, ebonised maple, glass and brass.