Jean Cocteau &

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We like the approach

The drawing “Jean Cocteau & the legs in the air” belongs to the series “Room portraits”. In his works, Damien Nicolas Roux imagines sublime interiors decorated around a prestigious work. To stage the reproduced canvas, he inserts iconic furniture and lighting fixtures and collectors’ items. His freedom as a facetious artist sometimes leads him to construct a second mise en abyme. Thus he slips one of his own creations into this imaginary interior. Indeed, Damien Nicolas Roux is also a plastic artist and creates obelisks and pyramids in cardboard and brass. They fit perfectly into the decor. The work is in the work, but the artist too, since he plays to hide his signature (DNR) in his drawing, do you see it? Finally he never forgets to add a little life in the form of a human or animal presence.

Each drawing is accompanied by a colored paper mat in one of the colors recommended by the artist. A work with surprising and accomplished techniques, which mixes references to painting, architecture and decorative arts.

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“Jean Cocteau & the legs in the air” presents a drawing by one of the most complete French artists of his generation: playwright, poet, painter, draughtsman and filmmaker.  Cocteau’s drawing “Orpheus with a lyre” (circa 1960) is in the collections of the Pierre André Benoit Museum in Alès. To accompany this drawing of classical invoice emblematic of the work of Cocteau, DNR imagines a bathroom adorned with subway tiles and its “Greek bathtub” in granite. A Jill wall lamp by Perry King and Santiago Miranda edited by Arteluce, a decorative stucco column and a black matte Marly vase by Olivier Gagnère compose a verticality that responds to the horizontality of the bath.

and more

We also like the humor of Damien Nicolas Roux: whose legs are these that break the classic lines of the design with class? This is the question that Manuel Crépon answers. He signs 12 narrative texts to accompany each drawing of the series. The booklet printed with all the texts and drawings will be attached free of charge to the delivery.

Photo credit: Damien Nicolas Roux and Galerie Maison Dauphine.