In Rennes, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have opted for a “didactic retrospective” and have also chosen pieces linked to ongoing research and new themes in their work. The four exhibitions in Rennes show the incredibly wide range of subjects covered by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec: from jewellery to architecture, from furniture to public spaces. The exhibitions also show a number of recurring themes in their work: mobility, flexibility, a certain kind of pragmatism, simplicity and visual economy, the freedom to let users “invent the life that goes with,” a chair, a sofa etc.
The second exhibition at the Frac, “17 screens”, allows viewers to see for the first time in Europe the “experimental and atmospheric” modular screen systems. Suspended in the space, they are made from ceramics, glass, aluminium, wood, textiles or guipure.
Les Champs Libres exhibition is a “wandering or an urban reverie” based on thoughts about urban development. Drawings, films and photographs, research models and life-sized prototypes are set out around twenty proposals that re-invent certain “urban motifs” : vines, torches, parasols, a raised stream, a kiosque etc.
These propositions are Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s first projects that concentrate on public spaces.
Le parlement de Bretagne’s internal courtyard houses one of the projects conceived for public spaces. The Kiosque (2015) is an autonomous, movable space. It is made of a steel structure with large bay windows and a protective roof that forms a kind of external terrace. Lanterns are suspended at each end of the roof, lighting the entire covered surface. In Rennes, the Kiosque is associated with Palissade (2015), a collection of outdoor furniture, conceived for the Danish brand Hay. In an environment with exceptional heritage value, the installation is open to a variety of usages. It is a place where people can pause and relax, but it can also be an “active” venue housing concerts, conferences, meetings etc.
