ronan bouroullec's daily drawings infuse hôtel des arts in france with color and rhythm

‘Daily Drawings’ by Ronan Bouroullec

From March 4 to April 29, 2023, the Hôtel des Arts in Toulon, France, opens its doors to Ronan Bouroullec’s Daily Drawings exhibition as part of Villa Noailles’ off-site program. Featuring nearly 300 works, including drawings, bas-reliefs, sketchbooks and portfolios, the exhibition showcases a small portion of the renowned French designer’s creative talent and highlights an aspect of his work that is not widely known. The drawings, all of which have been preserved, reveal the scope, depth, and complexity of Bouroullec’s private universe, which explores color and form through fluid, repetitive movements.

from March 4 to April 29, 2023, Hôtel Des Arts in France opens its doors to Ronan Bouroullec’s daily drawings | all images courtesy of Ronan Bouroullec

drawing without design

Although he is widely known for his sculptural ceramic works, Ronan Bouroullec (find more here) has always drawn on a daily basis. For the French designer, drawing is an essential part of his creative balance and composure. The exhibition Daily Drawings at the Hôtel des Arts in Toulon presents drawings collected since the 1990s and arranges them in chronological order, with the aim of preserving everything without classifying by type, subject, format, or technique.

In Bouroullec’s works, there is no particular place where drawing takes place: on the train, at home, in a hotel room, around the house, anywhere but in the studio. There is also no particular moment: on a trip, at night, during the frozen time of the 2020 lockdown. In addition, there is no specific material: paper from the remnants of the print store next door, old or new, dry or faded pencils, whatever is at hand determines the colors of the drawing and the texture of its lines. Finally, there is no plan or initial idea: the form unfolds gradually through repeated gestures that begin in the middle of the page and build up beside it. Unlike a sketch, Ronan Bouroullec’s drawings are defined by a refusal to engage with a problem, criteria, or results, a refusal to engage with a definition of the work: It is drawing without design.

The exhibition will take the form of a triptych. The first part of the exhibition will be on display at the Hôtel des Arts in Toulon, while the second part, entirely dedicated to Ronan Bouroullec’s ceramics, will be shown at the Galerie du Canon as part of the Design Parade Toulon 2023. The third part will also be on display this summer at Villa Noailles as part of the Design Parade Hyères.

the exhibition features nearly 300 works, including drawings, bas-reliefs, sketchbooks, and portfolios