In the design industry, there are creators and there are patrons of the design arts, and in some rare cases, those two worlds merge and the patron becomes the creator. Ralph Pucci, and his eponymous gallery-cum-design studio, lives in that space, fully functioning as a patron of the design arts, as well as being a creator himself, of masterful collections of art furniture and objets.
His new collection, Primal Mysteries, is Ralph Pucci’s first standalone collection in more than 10 years. Comprised of 15 works focused mainly on lighting and tables, it reveals the talent and creativity of Pucci’s in-house (sculpture studio) and the artisans that form the Pucci team. Pucci shares, “We are delighted to be presenting the first collection in over a decade conceived and created by our in-house (sculpture studio). Primal Mysteries is a coming together of many of the inspirations and ideas that have influenced us over the years, beautifully executed by our resident Master Sculptor and team of skilled artisans. Each piece feels like it was dug from the earth, the right antidote to our high-tech, AI world, with its slick, glossy and glass architecture in need of humanity. A home needs something earthy and with soul.”
Following the renovation and expansion of the in-house New York (sculpture studio) in 2021 as Ralph Pucci pivoted away from mannequin-making in the wake of the pandemic, Primal Mysteries comes on the heels of successful Plasterglass collaborations with guest artists including Patrick Naggar, Lee F. Mindel, Paul Mathieu and Elizabeth Garouste. While Plasterglass—which imparts the look of plaster but is durable enough for indoor or outdoor use—remains the primary, and proprietary, material created in the (sculpture studio), mosaic, bronze and stone and terracotta are all additional materials that give Primal Mysteries the desired earthiness.
To create the collection, the artisans employ techniques such as handwork in clay and plaster as well as casting and hand-finishing, sometimes creating a sand-blasted surface appearance. In order to impart desired texture and finishes, some pieces like the Visage giant sconce (pictured above), a sensational nearly 8 ft tall light sculpture, were sculpted in plaster. This plasterwork is associated with, and inspired by, artistic heroes such as Brancusi, Miro, Paul Klee, Modigliani, and the Surrealists, as well as looking to their sources, the artistic expressions that have been incorporated into cultures since the dawn of time. These movements, artists, concepts and ideas provide a thread that links the designs; each piece shows the hand of its maker and evokes an earthy, elemental character, an escapist antidote to our digitally-led world.
Primal Mysteries is on display at Ralph Pucci (New York), alongside new works by Sébastien Léon and John Wigmore.
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