'Origins' by Ingrid Donat at Carpenters Workshop Gallery London

26 May - 22 July '16

With ‘Origins’, Ingrid Donat will unveil six new sculptural pieces at Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s London space. The new works will include two commodes, a console table, bench, low table and a floor lamp; all created in Ingrid Donat’s signature intricate style. The exhibition will take place from 26 May until 22 July 2016 and will foreshadow the launch of the first monograph dedicated to the artist’s work, to be published this fall.

INTROSPECTIVE EXPLORATIONS

These new works are inspired by tribal and Art Deco trends. They seek to further develop Ingrid Donat’s artistic exploration of her origins and roots, on the island of La Réunion, known for its volcanic rock and wild natural landscape. The artist’s use of bronze and dark woods adds an imposing and almost masculine energy to her works. However, this idea is juxtaposed by the complexity of the patterns incorporated into her pieces, which suggest a more feminine nature.

PRIMARY INTUITIONS

Ingrid Donat’s work invokes the majestic spirit of 1920s Art Deco designers such as Pierre Legrain and Armand-Albert Rateau, who transformed African tribal design into luxurious works of art. The motifs she engraves recall the animal and fish skins Art Deco artists used to incorporate texture into their works. To achieve the delicacy required in her engraving, Ingrid Donat has developed her own precise tools to get the exact affect needed. These have evolved over decades along with her style and technical approach.

In Ingrid Donat’s work we can see echoes of Legrain’s ceremonial chairs in wood with their intricate incorporation of symbols and patterns often found in West African tribal art, along with curves inspired by nature and those of the human body.

Whilst in her bronze pieces we are reminded of Armand-Albert Rateau’s decorative engraving of vegetation motifs and animals. Both take basic and natural aesthetics and transform them into elegant, finely crafted and highly decorative works. She also admires the detailed patterning of Gustav Klimt’s painting and brings this into her work.

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS CELEBRATED

Ingrid Donat’s artistic practice is consistent. Developed and created at Roissy with a team of skilled artisans, her creative process starts with a sheet of wax, which she engraves, carves and shapes to form the design of her work, which is then applied to her pieces. The artist engraves the bronzes, paints the upholstery and treats the wood herself.Her studio and office are now based there.