Lalanne(s)

(Hardback)

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This comprehensive volume covers over fifty years of sculpture from the Lalannes-a menagerie that includes hippo bathtubs, Salvador Dali's escargot cutlery, and wild boar topiaries. Francois-Xavier and Claude Lalanne, a French husband-and-wife team of sculptors, have worked side by side for more than half a century.Their art is complementary, and both draw from the humor and spontaneity of Surrealism while maintaining their individuality. Drawing from the grand tradition of French animaliers, Francois- Xavier creates opulent, utilitarian pieces such as a whimsical rhinoceros desk, a "Tin of Sardines" bed, and the famous sheep chairs that Coco Chanel herded into the living room of her Parisian apartment. Claude's intimate and spontaneous universe ranges from natureinspired jewelry and furniture to monu m e n t a l sculpture. Her electroplated molds of the human body for Yves Saint Laurent are icons of twentiethcentury art and fashion. Major figures from all walks of the design world-architect Peter Marino, London art dealer Ben Brown, interior designer Jacques Grange, Surrealist artist Salvador Dali, and fashion icons such as Pierre Berg and Valentino-have commissioned pieces from the Lalannes for their commercial projects as well for as their private collections. This is the most complete monograph to be published on the Lalannes, whose work is featured in major museums and galleries around the world. Produced in collaboration with the artists, and drawing from their extensive archive s , it fully documents and illustrates the diversity of their work.

Reviews

"...salutes husband-and-wife Francois-Xavier and Claude Lalanne's surreal sculptures, including Coco Chanel's sheep chairs and Salvador Dali's escargot-and-foliage silverware." ~Elle Decor

"A Carroll-like eccentricity infuses Lalanne(s)." ~Vogue

Author Bio

Daniel Abadie is a professor of Art History at the Universit Libre de Bruxelles and an independent curator. He is the author of major studies on Magritte, Nicolas de Stal, and Ren Char.