Posted on July 23, 2010 by Nina Boccia | Comments
Categories: Product design, Art, Graphic design, Events, Interior Design , Shopping
ShareRenowned for her grand installations in hotels and restaurants around the globe, Quebec ceramicist Pascale Girardin has opened a pop-up shop in Old Montreal offering goods of a decidedly smaller scale.
On the ground floor of Á Table Tout le Monde, a small boutique that carries tableware from around the world, Pascale Girardin has set up shop for the entire month of July to offer her own small-scale limited-edition works. "I decided to do a street-friendly project to compensate for all the times I've had clients ask me for smaller items," says Girardin.
Those familiar with the designer's work will recall the magnificent layers of ceramic slats that cover the wall at the Yabu Pushelberg–designed Four Season Golf Club (now the Al Badia Golf Club) in Dubai; the speckled showpiece at Jean Georges Steakhouse in Las Vegas, which was inspired by bone marrow; and the massive installation of rings that graces the lobby at Hotel Le Germain in Calgary. So, it comes as no surpirse that fans of her work have long been calling for more consumer-friendly pieces.
At the pop-up, Girardin has divided the month of July into four themes, one for every week. Fêting numbers, works on display include coasters, house numbers and collaged elements from architectural projects (get your very own ceramic bone marrow!); the letters theme offers necklaces and infant mobiles featuring the letter Z; under the telecommunications umbrella, pick up tiles depicting computer iconography or text messages; and urban art offers such creations as ceramic tags and carved stencil wall art. Other standout works have a quasi-souvenir appeal, and they include ceramic Quebec license plates and tiles stamped with either the Canadian maple leaf, the fleur-de-lys or the City of Montreal logo.
Girardin's son Wolfe Girardin (of Visual Pollution) created the pop-up's signature t-shirt and designer Nancy Pavan produced the shop's graphic identity.
Located at 361 St. Paul Street West in Old Montreal, the pop-up closes its doors for good on August 1 at 6 p.m.