Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 47
Occupation: Creative director, artist, designer, and musician.
Instagram: @sebastienleon
Hometown: Blois, France.
Studio location: Los Angeles.
Describe what you make: I work at the intersection of sculpture, furniture, painting, and music. I strive to fuse one medium into another: sculptures that play music, glass that lights up, paintings that animate, spaces that react to the visitor, etc.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: Designing Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak 40th anniversary exhibition. It showcased 100 exceptional timepieces and combined the mediums of design, photography, music, and moving image to explain their heritage and craft. That project helped them define their new retail language. The exhibition toured the world for two years, started their official involvement with Art Basel, and kicked off their art and design platform. It was all the more special to me as I love watchmaking and Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak in particular.
Describe the problem your work solves: For many years I’ve focused on translating brands into experiential environments through abstract storytelling. But since moving from New York to LA, I have started creating both furniture and functional art, in particular sculptures. I love that they can serve a purpose like creating lighting or music, and yet can also exist without those functions.
Describe the project you are working on now: I just launched “Hydrochrom”, a collection of glass sculptures inspired by the ocean. It consists of tabletop sculptures, lighting, and sound sculptures. They are currently being shown at Twentieth Exhibitions, and the exhibition is up until October. I’m also showing my musical sculpture “Symphony in Smoke” at “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” a group show of LA artists curated by Michael Slenske.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: I’ve just finished a permanent experiential art installation for The Great Jones Distilling Co. in Noho, New York, which opens this month to the public. The installation is called “Alchemy” and alludes to the natural elements involved in their whiskey-making, through murals, glass sculptures, installation, and more generally through a light and music spectacle.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: A bunch of guitars, some of my work, and books, lots of books. I don’t open them very often, but they make me feel at home.
What you do when you’re not working: My studio is at home, and my hobbies are mostly part of my work, so my personal and work life tend to naturally mix. I play a lot of music for instance, but I always find an excuse to use what I play in sculptures, or to learn strange sound sculptures like the Cristal Baschet.
Sources of creative envy: I live close to both a Frank Lloyd Wright house in LA, so definitely him! But I also love Carlo Mollino’s furniture. And Brian Eno because he keeps expanding the presence and application of music.
The distraction you want to eliminate: Procrastinating on my phone.
Concrete or marble? Concrete. The first collection for our furniture company Atelier d’Amis was inspired by NY construction sites, which to me look like sculptures of metal and concrete.
High-rise or townhouse? High-rise before glass is installed. They’re such beautiful sculptures. I’d rather live in a townhouse though.
Remember or forget? Remember. What’s the future if we can’t learn from the past?
Aliens or ghosts? Aliens. I’m ready.
Dark or light? Light in darkness.
