"L'étreinte" by Elise Gabriel at Galerie Gosserez

3 March - 2 April '11

Galerie Gosserez is presenting "l'Etreinte" by Elise Gabriel, a series of furniture (table, chair and lights) whose main theme is researching Zelfo, a new material composed of cellulose* whose great propensity to reduce, to model itself on curvilinear shapes and to embrace the material, allows it to fit tightly round and to assemble together the elements on which it dries. The extremely radical formatting therefore brings to the forefront all of the material’s mechanical, plastic and symbolic power.

‘Zelfo is a resistant material. 100% cellulose fibres when solid and 95% water when liquid. Great tautness is achieved during drying with a 70% reduction rate. This extraction process was devised ten years ago, but there has been no industrial exploitation until now. After this observation, I got fully immersed in it: handling; formalities; observations; confrontations; experimentation. An incessant coming and going between my intuition and the reality of the material, between my wishes and its demands. Zelfo is living matter. Of course I can guide, squeeze and trap it. But in response to that there is always an unpredictable quiver, a twist or a contraction against the grain. I am looking out for this Etreinte, I am searching for it. Sometimes I even anticipate it. That is this project’s challenge, to do and laisser faire...’ Elise Gabriel

Elise Gabriel is a young French designer, a graduate of the prestigious Ecole Duperré (textile, materials and surfaces department) and Ecole Boulle (Design, product and furniture department), within a third cycle at ENS Cachan, Elise Gabriel is developing a project called ‘Zelfo’s Embrace,’ with Erwan Bouroullec and Benjamin Graindorge as tutors. The ‘Liga’ chair presented at the VIA in January 2010 falls within this.

"L'étreinte" by Elise Gabriel

"L'étreinte" by Elise Gabriel

"L'étreinte" by Elise Gabriel