Matali Crasset’s work is striking in two ways: it is both very gentle in its approach, and very consequent in its execution and its striving to reach a futuristic, harmonious living environment. She claims that her aim is not to create an object ( ‘the object isn’t the central focus of the creative process…’ ) but more to investigate situations that can be molded to fit the individual needs and preferences of the end-consumers.
Her imagination often takes her to areas that explore the influence of light, everyday rituals, habits and objects. She frequently works for (and with) children, which is relevant to her interest in throwing off all the preconceptions we as a society have of our living space in order to create new ways of playing with how we deal with these basic human needs.
In a playful way she incorporates natural shapes into her environments as well, giving us such experiments as an instant hanging garden space, tree-hangers and root furniture.
However, despite distinctly considering natural forms, her designs such as those resembling glass or plastic organic forms all remain strangely clinically separated from their natural environment. Also, since most of her work is focused on our living experience inside houses, it would be interesting to see what she comes up with about the possibilities of living in an interplay with the outside world. Instead of creating a bubble full of fake organic shapes for us to live in, she could also try to merge the real organic outside with indoor living to achieve a balance of both (Namba Parks Osaka)
posting by Jane Mumford
