Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 32
Occupation: Designer and artist.
Instagram: @william.guillon
Hometown: Toulouse.
Studio location: Bordeaux.
Describe what you make: I like to think that I make “relics from the future” but I guess it doesn’t really help to understand what I do on a daily basis. To be more precise, I draw, design, and create bronze lighting and accessories. My practice is at the border between sculpture and design. The term “Functional Art” describes well the creative space in which my work evolves.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: The collection that best represents my work and philosophy is LV-426. It’s a collection of chandeliers and sconces made of cast bronze and porcelain. It’s inspired by the world of H.R GIGER, who is one of my heroes. The movie Alien had a very strong impact on me when I was young, and in a way I tried to recreate the impression that this movie made on me the first time I saw it. As with most of my pieces, I don’t use molds—I sculpt each piece for each order from scratch. There are never two identical pieces. I’m very attached to this collection, and I have an almost intimate connection with it.
Describe the problem your work solves: My work helps people escape from reality.
Describe the project you’re working on now: The biggest piece I’ve ever made, a 51-inch-high cast bronze mirror that can hold candles on its frame—the perfect piece for a gothic mansion! The mirror part is a polished bronze sheet. It required a lot of time and a particular know-how. I’m very proud to have made it for Objective Gallery (Shanghai and New York). I was pushed to my limits, which is always a mixed feeling of excitement and anxiety.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: Since May, I’ve been working on 20 new pieces that will be officially unveiled on Nov. 9! The collection is called OMNIA VANITAS, which are sculptural accessories such as vases, bowls, candlesticks, and curiosities… The particularity of this collection is that it’s made of white bronze, a special variety with a silver color instead of gold. This collection is about the impermanence of everything, the passage of time and the place and role of objects in our lives.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: My headphones for sure! I listen to music, podcasts, and shows all day long. I can’t do anything without them. I’d rather not work than work in silence. Also, a portion of almonds and some bottles of vegan milk are always good.
What you do when you’re not working: For the past two years, I’ve worked almost all the time, every day of the week. I guess I’ll no longer stand with this rhythm, but for me work is almost a way of life, a philosophy. Being fully dedicated to my art is something I’ve always dreamed of since I was a teenager. When not working, I need to relax and rest. I sleep, I meditate, I play video games, I go to the cinema… and I draw of course!
Sources of creative envy: There are so many… For the dead ones I’ll stick to the basics: Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick literally obsessed me for years! Also, H.R Giger is central in my universe. The others: Jun Takahashi, Rick Owens, Michèle Lamy, Rei Kawakubo, Jojo Corvaia, Niclas Wolf, Andrès Monier, Tilda Swinton, Sigourney Weaver, Vincenzo De Cotiis, Dim Atelier, and so many more!
The distraction you want to eliminate: Probably my phone. It’s one of my most useful tools but can also be a walking nightmare when it comes to multiple notifications, emails, calls…
Concrete or marble? Marble.
High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse.
Remember or forget? Remember.
Aliens or ghosts? Aliens, come on!
Dark or light? Is this a provocation? DARK!
