De natura rerum
Erwan Boulloud
2023
French designer and sculptor, Erwan Boulloud explores, through his creations, the multiple possibilities offered by the material, whether mineral or vegetal – stone, metal, glass, wood, concrete… – polished or raw. The title of the book De natura rerum (On the Nature of Things), inspired by a poem by the Latin philosopher Lucretius, testifies to the anchoring of his work in nature and natural phenomena. The artist combines craftsmanship and high technicality, thus reflecting his taste for the random, the accidental, to the point of “manhandling” his objects, which would easily find their place in mysterious cabinets of curiosities.
Conceived as a rare album, this first monograph of the artist reveals the different facets of his work. It is punctuated with inserts evoking the various sources of scientific and artistic inspiration, offering the reader an imaginary cartography of the artist’s universe.
The book includes an essay by design theorist Sophie Fétro, who contextualizes his work in the history of the concept of the marvelous in the arts, and an interview with the artist conducted by art critic Natacha Wolinski. This monograph immerses the reader in the strange and wonderful world of Erwan Boulloud.
Published by Atelier EXB.