Françoise Darmon – Collectors’ Island
July 17, 2019 3:34 pmFrançoise Darmon ventured into conceptual and minimal art in the late 1970’s when she abandoned her pharmacy studies to focus on contemporary art at The École du Louvre. “At that time, the scope of studies had not gone beyond postwar American abstract expressionism. If you wanted to know the artists of our own times, you had to go looking for them. This process, and my exchanges with them, allowed me to develop in very profound ways.”
Each year the Genevan watchmaker Vacheron Constantin releases an art book titled Collectors’ Island, this year I photographed the entire book and this is one of ten stories included.
Many thanks to Bradley Seymour for the invaluable creative direction, and to Lara Lo Calzo for her exceptional work as Editorial Manager. Captions below were written by Virginie Bertrand.
Françoise Darmon with the Homme de Bessines no. 31 by Fabrice Hyber (2017) in painted bronze, one of her most recent acquisitions to benefit the Les Réalisateurs school founded by Hyber.
On the wall, Wall Piece no. 6 by Sol LeWitt (1979), with, below that, Spot Carmin Vermillon by Vincent Beaurin (2012) and The Seer Cannot Be the Seen mirror by Tania Moureau (1974). Michel Boyer’s low cabinet bears a collection of vases from the Manufacture de Sèvres and the Val-Saint-Lambert crystal works, the Nord vase by Martin Szekelly at the far left, and one of the three exemplars of Pendule TrA3 by Sylvain Dubuisson at the far right. In the foreground: table by Dominique Lachevsky and Marino-Marini chairs by Nemo – François Scali and Alain Domingo. Patrick Naggar’s Elytre chair is to their right.
Camille Henrot’s Cages (2009) hang from the staircase in front of David Seidner’s Portrait of Richard Serra (1990).
Untitled, semi-circle table leg by Gotscho (1989) and, on the wall, a photographic blow-up of Realize (Art As Idea As Idea) by Joseph Kosuth (1967).
Two photographs, Les Tombes Brother/Sister by Sophie Calle (1990) and Ligne Générale (1984), a light box created by the agency Information Fiction Publicité representing the founders Dominique Pasqualin, Jean-François Brun and Philippe Thomas.
The Sushi mirror by the Campana brothers (2012). The silhouette of Philippe Starck’s prototype Pratfall chair (1982) can be seen to the right next to the Outdoor Panton 20 chair.
Françoise Darmon ventured into conceptual and minimal art at the age of 30. Daniel Buren was the first artist to introduce it into her apartment with the installation Reflets no. 7 (1981), a red and white painting on glass. Above it is Dé-finition/méthode “AMZ” by Claude Ruthault, paint on canvas (1984–1987).
Dr Sonderbar, by Philippe Starck (1983) XO edition, and, on the wall, Éric Decelle. Des coupures de la presse. Composition fictionnaliste by Philippe Thomas (1986).
Foreground, the work-sculpture Beginning-Conclusion by Vittorio Santero (2017); in the stairwell, the wall structure Drum & Bass Brabentia by Mathieu Mercier (2015) and La Callas I, aluminium cibachrome by Ange Leccia (1982).