Emile Le Bol (elevation), 2020
pencil, pastel, charcoal, tape on paper
Emile Le Bol (plan + section cut), 2020
pencil, colored pencil, pastel, charcoal, tape on paper
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Emile Le Bol is a character I created based off a bowl that has been in our family home in France for decades. This project was realized during my Design Studio course at Parsons (first semester of Sophomore year) centered around objects and their meaning. We focused specifically on the Found Object and Readymade movements. The objective in beginning the study of Interior Design with the study of objects was to understand the way these inform the creation of space, since spaces contain objects, and thus are, essentially defined by them. “Physical traces and markings on the objects are recordings of micro and macro human realities. […] Like humans, objects are not neutral and, when carefully considered can be charged with visible and invisible messages.”
Simply put, objects have just as much personality and history as humans.
Emile was born out of my exploration of this bowl’s history and what it meant to me. I am French, and I have only ever interacted with these bowls when I visit my family in France on vacation so they have a very specific emotional and contextual value. Emile is a very French, and specifically Normand, name (my family is from Normandy).
I elaborate on Emile’s personality in an interview I conducted with him for the project. I personify Emile as a wise and well-lived man who provides insightful observations on life and work. The drawings were the result of my fascination for the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Having only recently discovered their work, I fell in love with the quality of their drawings - the way they seamlessly combined a raw-and-rough texture with measure and precision. I attempted to emulate this quality in these drawings while staying true to Emile.
I went through several iterations of drawings before ending with the final ones pictured above. To read about part 2 and part 3 of this project, click here and here.
