Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr Advisory and the Friedman Benda gallery are pleased to join forces and present Salon d’Avril, a group exhibition bringing together established and emerging artists and designers in PCSC’s Paris space.
Rooted in both the tradition and the spirit of dissent of the Parisian salons, the exhibition features a floor-to-ceiling hanging and an interdisciplinary journey that embodies the creative energy of several generations reshaping the contours of contemporary design. Salon d’Avril offers Friedman Benda the opportunity to present in Paris a capsule of its program in dialogue with its international activities.
Lands n.04 (2026) by Ferréol Babin is unveiled concurrently with his first exhibition in New York. Drawing on his remarkable expertise in wood sculpture and marquetry, the designer evolves his practice: furniture becomes canvas, painting appears on its surface, introducing a more personal and narrative dimension.
Microstructures Adaptation Chair (Long Cell) (2014) by Joris Laarman illustrates the pioneering alliance between advanced technology and craftsmanship. Designed according to principles inspired by cellular organisms and produced using cutting-edge manufacturing processes, this major piece—held in the collections of the Denver Art Museum and the Centre Pompidou—engages in dialogue with Symbio, the designer’s first exhibition in a decade, presented in New York.
Following their solo booth at TEFAF Maastricht, a new seat by Formafantasma will also be on view, continuing their reflection on the essence of typologies and formal rigor.
A founding designer of the gallery’s program, Ettore Sottsass will be represented by a selection of historical works: a sideboard (1962), three ceramic prototypes (1968) from his personal collection—marked by his stay in the United States and the influence of Pop Art—as well as a chandelier (1956), reflecting his research into spatial construction and the use of color.
A cabinet in felt and resin by Gaetano Pesce (1987) completes the ensemble. A unique work, it constitutes an unprecedented combination of a felt structure housing polyurethane doors, materials emblematic of the designer. Its formal freedom illustrates Pesce’s ability to combine industrial materials with emotional intensity, in a sculptural presence that is both charismatic and liberated from convention.
Visitors will also discover the Creek Stool (2022) by Frida Escobedo, from a series conceived alongside her international architectural career, as well as Miss Fishy (2016) by Misha Kahn, an emblematic work of his free and experimental approach, where even gilded bronze becomes the support for an organic and expressive imagination.
Through this intergenerational and international encounter, Salon d’Avril highlights practices that advances the limits of the design field and propose new ways of conceiving, producing, and inhabiting contemporary forms.
