The Pierre Bonnard Exhibition
an explosion of colours by India Mahdavi
Pierre Bonnard, The Studio with Mimosa – Photo by ©Centre Pompidou
On the 9th of June, a storm of colours will sweep through the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne with the inauguration of the brand-new exhibition about Pierre Bonnard. While this 20th-century painter is already well known for his spectacular use of colours, the scenography – conceived by the renowned French designer India Mahdavi – will put on a dazzling final piece and transport you into a unique combination of both their artistic worlds.
India Mahdavi by Paolo Roversi
Born in 1962 in Tehran to an Iranian father and an Anglo-Egyptian mother, India Mahdavi spent most of her childhood between Germany, France, and Massachusetts where she developed her sensitivity to colour. She decided to study architecture in Paris, at the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and completed her training in graphics (School of Visual Arts) and furniture design (Parsons) in New York. Mahdavi finally settled in France and made her professional debut as the artistic director for the decorator Christian Liaigre. She remained by his side until 1997, before flying from the nest and founding her studio on rue Las-Cases in Paris in 1999.
Since the early stages of her career, her creations have been tinged with cosmopolitan and American influences from her childhood. She quickly found and developed her own style of interior design, which puts an emphasis on the use of colour and combines elements from diverse styles and periods to create unique, playful, and joyful spaces and atmospheres. Her talent and unique vision quickly earned her collaborations with major hotels and restaurants worldwide, such as Café Français in Paris, Hotel du Cloître in Arles, Sketch Gallery in London, RedValentino in Rome, and Condesa DF Hotel in Mexico City. She has also collaborated with famous brands like Nespresso, Louis Vuitton, Jem, Monoprix and many others.
Alongside these collaborations for interior design, Mahdavi developed her own studio, today consisting of three showrooms, serving as a showcase for her furniture creations. For the scenography of these places and the aestheticism of her designs, the Queen of Colour has received numerous distinctions and awards. Among others, she was named designer of the year by Maison et Objet in 2004, laureate of the Villégiature Award, for best boutique hotel for Monte Carlo Beach in 2010, and of the AD Award in 2014. She also became an Officier des Arts et des Lettres in 2015 and has been featured numerous times on the Architectural Digest’s list of the world’s most influential designers.
This exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne is not a trial run for the artist who has already lent her talent as a scenographer to numerous galleries and museums throughout her career. In total, more than a hundred works by the famous French artist Pierre Bonnard will be on display in this exhibition. The artist – described by the New York Times as a virtuoso of colour – will hinge her works on these masterpieces, creating an exceptional palette of colour and texture. Visitors will find themselves immersed in sumptuous interior settings sublimating the best of both worlds and faithfully rendering the domestic and intimate character of Pierre Bonnard’s works.
Save the date of this incredible exhibition’s opening day (June 9th) at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and book your tickets now on the NGV website!
