A Harmony of Things
In collaboration with Sri and Colin King

Opening Weekend | Saturday – Sunday, January 23–24  11AM – 5PM
January 23 – February 13, 2021
Extended thru February 21, 2021

Beginning January 23, Demisch Danant presents A Harmony of Things, a special collaborative project focused upon the intersection of Japanese and French minimalist aesthetics. The presentation brings together exceptional antique Japanese folk textiles from Sri, founded by curator Stephen Szczepanek; and key French 1950s furniture, selected from the inventory of Demisch Danant by interior stylist and designer Colin King, known for his refined aesthetic.

Japanese culture and craftsmanship have long inspired French design, which began incorporating the influence of Japanese applied arts with the opening of trade routes in the middle of the 19th century. First described by French art critic and collector Philippe Burty in 1872, ‘Japonisme’ extended from the visual arts into architecture, industrial and furniture design, and interiors as well as textile and decorative arts. By the middle of the 20th century, the influence of the Japanese aesthetic --deeply rooted in nature and focused upon the essentials of balance, line, and natural materials like linen, wood, and rattan – manifested in French décor.

French minimalist design, which emerged from the 1950s to early 1960s, was marked by a harmonious melding of form, function, and materials. Ornament was rejected in favor of the most simple and efficient concepts in furniture making. A Harmony of Things celebrates both the French design of this period and the Japanese crafts that embody the ethos and sublime effects that influenced them.