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CRÉDIT PHOTOS : Dorothée Buteau
His earliest memories of wood go back to his childhood, when he would collect pieces of wood during his walks in the Limousin region and tinker with them for hours on end. After a first life in the contemporary art world, Benjamin Fély returned to his love of wood and opened his workshop in Nantes in 2017. For our "carte blanche" project Creative Flowering, dedicated to research and experimentation, he imagined a seat inspired by a dolmen, a utilitarian sculpture with a precarious balance that invites you to touch it. Meet the artist.
How did you get involved with wood?
I grew up in the Limousin countryside. As a child, I was always collecting little things on walks in the woods, which I tinkered with. Later, I trained as a cabinetmaker, then went on to study decorative arts to obtain a diploma in Product Design. After working for ten years in the contemporary art world in Paris, I felt the need to return to my own creations and set up my studio in 2017 in Nantes.
Your pieces bear all the marks of the way your tools have been used. Which techniques do you employ?
I use several techniques, depending on the piece and the type of wood chosen. Both completely rudimentary, manual techniques using gouges, knives and other wood-cutting tools, as well as grinder-type machines with discs to cut the wood and trim the pieces.
What is your favorite wood?
I don't really have a favorite type of wood, because most of the time I work with what I find. Many of these pieces of wood are of different origins and species, so I adapt my creations accordingly. Nevertheless, I really enjoy working with chestnut for its tenderness and finish.
Which piece is the most representative of your work?
I'm thinking of the "Megalith" series of vases and trays. I love these pieces for their raw, sometimes primitive look. All my creations are drawn beforehand, and it's not always easy to reproduce your intentions from drawing to sculpture. The Mégalithe collection is a fine representation of my creative process, even if it's difficult for me to answer this question because I feel I'm always experimenting with new forms.
What does your studio look like?
It's a little shed at the end of a lane that I share with Ambre, a ceramist, a small corner of the countryside near downtown Nantes.
I love the working atmosphere that exists between our two practices, and the morning light that warms up the space before we get down to work.
Do you have a routine or a ritual that punctuates your days at the workshop?
A cup of coffee and I examine the previous day's pieces or all the pieces of wood in the workshop.
What are your inspirations?
Artists (Giuseppe Penone, Isamu Noguchi...), designers (Enzo Mari, Charlotte Perriand, Jean Touret...), cabinetmakers, but also Paleolithic man, nature, the elements, everything that surrounds me.
What role do creative research and experimentation play in your practice?
They're essential, because I spend a lot of time drawing and manipulating pieces of wood in the run-up to my creations. Going back and forth between drawing and experimenting with wood assembly takes up a lot of my time in the studio.
Tell us about the piece you designed for the Creative Flowering carte blanche - Le Bois de Sessùn.
For the occasion, I imagined a small pedestal table, an end table, a seat...
A sort of small dolmen, an assembly or rather a stack of carved pieces of wood. A sort of precarious balance, a utilitarian sculpture to touch.
Which material(s) did you use for this piece?
I used oak for the base and chestnut for the top.
What do you take away from this carte blanche experience?
A great deal of creative freedom, which has enabled me to propose even freer pieces in terms of experimenting with shapes and materials.
