La forme du vide (The shape of the void)

The vase. Between a work of art and a purely functional object, this element is imbued with multiple perceptions. In its most common definition, it is a vaguely coloured container in which to put a bouquet of flowers that will wither a few days later. All the complexity of the object is swept away in a few words.

A definition that is much closer to the reality of this multi-millennial object. Between craft, design and art, the conception of the vase has received multiple denominations through the ages. An archaeological object by excellence, the vase offers precious information on the society in which it was created. Mastery of materials, complex use of tools, rich iconography, elaborate style, domestic use, social marker, religious manifestation… The way of understanding this artefact is plural.

In the hands of artists, this object becomes a support for thought, the witness of an era, a means of expression, an aesthetic proposition… The void takes shape. This element becomes the receptacle of questions about society and our time. Questioning in turn our relationship with matter, progress, traditions or even wealth, the artists use this object as a medium in its own right. Its specificities are sometimes exploited, sometimes diverted, to nourish the author’s purpose.

The artists and designers invited by La peau de l’ours have seized upon the specificities of the vase to make it their support and their means of expression. The vase becomes a sculpture, a container that welcomes a view of the world.

The vase gives form to the void.

Thibaut Waution