Emmanuel BabledEmmanuel Babled was born in France in 1967. He studied at the European Institute of Design in Milan where he graduated in Industrial Design in 1989. In 1992 he founded Emmanuel Babled Studio, working independently. Since 1995 Babled has developed much glassware and tableware, limited editions and unique pieces, some of which he produced himself, and some he designed for prestigious manufacturers like Baccarat (F), Rosenthal (D) and Venini (I).
Babled’s glass pieces and limited edition is frequently published and part of many private and public collections around the world.
Throughout the years he has worked on industrial products, furniture and lighting for Magis (I), Felice Rossi (I), Vistosi (I), Kundalini (I), Viceversa (HK), Giannini (I), DuPont deNemours (F), Crea diffusion (F), Oluce (I), Gedy (I), Superego (I), Outlook Zelco (I), I+I (I), Covo (I), Idée Co. Ltd (J), and Laurent Perrier (F).
In June 2011, Emmanuel Babled’product Moby for Gedy won the Green Dot Award granted by the Chicago Atheneum and the European Centre for Architecture Art and Design.
Design Statement
Emmanuel Babled’s design approach is based on the idea that a good project comes about through direct contact and physical presence in the territory of its production. Observing materials and techniques in their authentic surroundings and gaining a feeling for places and social conditions have become integral parameters in his work method. This approach is not only driven by anthropological interest, but mental immersion, leading to a creative process that is both individual and innovative. Emmanuel Babled’s designs encompass tradition, modernity, sacredness, consumption, artisanal production and sustainability. This unique mix gives his work a contemporary, poetic and transcultural character.
On one hand, Babled’s design attitude has been influenced by 15 years of experience with Venetian glass blowers on the island of Murano; on the other, he has been constantly involved in the design scene with his Milan office.
Babled aims to exalt the specific plasticity of a material, and includes territorial skills and the human factor as elements that determine the result, always looking to improve working conditions.
His work has steadily widened its range to different types of territorial skills, and always includes a historical knowledge of the craft mixed with computerized processes and original composition. Far from merely celebrating tradition, he is more interested in challenging traditional methods in order to obtain innovative applications and meaningful results.
Currently, he is using different ‘territorial medium’ - still working with glass in Murano but also with textile in India, marble in Carrara (I), and furniture made in solid Plexiglass.
Babled’s work is not limited to craft production. He also designs mass-produced products, where a new shift in the production process or cultural cross-pollination gives the object its identity.
Emmanuel Babled’s approach illustrates a vision where the focus is not merely the design product itself, but the synthesis between production tools and communicative identity.
Solo Exhibitions
Since his first contact with Venini in 1992, Babled has produced many-hand blown glass collections that have been widely exhibited in international galleries and museums. Among his most important solo exhibitions:
“Glas” 1996 (Idée, Co. Ltd., Tokyo), presented by Teruo Kurosaki
“Ovni” 1996 (Blanchaert & Arosio, Milano), presented by Jean Blanchaert & Marco Arosio
“Verrerie” 1997 (Néotu, Paris), presented by Pierre Staudenmeyer
“Halebopp” 1997 (Blanchaert & Arosio, Milan), presented by Jean Blanchaert & Marco Arosio
“Kos Mos” 1998 (Space Gallery, London), presented by Ema Oldham
“Vaporetto 52” 1998 (Crossover Gallery, Cologne), presented by Ema Oldham
“Primaire” 1999 (Galerie Clara Scremini, Paris), presented by Clara Scremini
“Oversized” 1999 (Studio Segantini, Milan), presented in the Babled workshop
“Kos Mos” 2000 (Idée, Co. Ltd, Tokyo), presented by Teruo Kurosaki
“The Happy Few” 2002 (Holt Renfrew, Toronto), presented by Holt Renfrew
“Joker Lounge” 2003 (Le Case d’Arte, Milan), presented by Pasquale Leccese
“Fanatisme” 2003 (Maxalto, Paris), presented by Max Alto.
“Humans & Coconuts” 2004 (Spazio Micamoca, Milan), presented by Manuela Klerkx
“Toys” 2004 (Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice), presented by Angela Vettese
“Units” 2004 (Spazio Micamoca, Milan), presented by Manuela Klerkx
“Toys” 2005 (Centre Culturel Français, Milan), presented by the French embassy cultural department “Units” 2005 (Gallerie Mouvements Modernes, Paris), presented by Pierre Staudenmeyer
“Units” 2005 (Designer’s Gallery, Cologne), presented by Gabrielle Amman
“Digit” 2008 (French Embassy Milan), presented by the French embassy cultural department
“Digit” 2008 (Galleria Scagliola, Paris), presented by Roberta Fumia
“Sitting here, resting my bones” 2009 (Galleria Klerkx, Milan), Presented by Manuela Klerkx
“Digit” 2009 (Galleria Nilufar, Milan), presented by Nina Yashar
“Everything will be going all right” 2009 (Kessler Gallery, Zurich), presented by Franzisca Kessler
“Digit” installation at Design Basel and Design Miami (2009), presented by Priveekollektie gallery (NL)
“Three Spirits” with Richard Hutten and Paolo Giordano (2010, Milano)
“Superdesign” 2010 (The apartment gallery, London)
“Rien de 9” 2011 (ventura Lambrate - Milano), curated by Ines Salgado
Curatorial Projects and Art Direction
Since 1999 Studio Babled has been a frequent curator for group exhibitions and brand art-direction.
1999: The City of Milan appoints Babled as art director of the glass exhibition “Fusion”.
2000: Babled is in charge of the launch of the new life-style brand “Sputnik”, initiated by the Japanese entrepreneur Teruo Kurosaki of Idée Co. Ltd. in Tokyo.
2001: The Italian household accessories manufacturer Covo appoints Babled as art director for the concept and organization of the traveling glass exhibition “Smash” that involves nine young international designers. After its first presentation in Milan, the show moves on to Néotu (Paris), Property (New York), Design Museum (London), Idée Co Ltd. (Tokyo), and the National Glass Center (Sunderland, GB).
2002: The French crystal manufacturer Baccarat appoints Babled as art director for the development of the crystal collection “Rencontres” designed by the Italian architect Ettore Sottsass.
: Babled organizes exhibitions for the Milan Fair Organization Macef in collaboration with students of different national and international design schools (Domus Academy Milan, Design Academy Eindhoven) leading workshops in each school.
: Dupont De Nemours (Geneva) commissions Babled to conceive and design new lounge furniture made in Corian by Crea Diffusion (F).
2003: Babled coordinates and presents the Japanese lifestyle brand Mogu in collaboration with Ready Made Project (NY) and Ebisukasei Co. Ltd (Osaka).
2005: Babled becomes creative strategy consultant for the Italian brand I+I, for the production of textiles, carpets and home accessories.
Guest Teaching
Since 2000 Emmanuel Babled has been collaborating with the Domus Academy (Milan) and the Eindhoven Design Academy (Eindhoven, NL) as a visiting professor.
Bibliography
Monograph
Toys-Emmanuel Babled 220 pages – Editor Five Continents, 2004
Selection of other publications
Limited Edition by Sophie Lowell – Birkhauser, 2009
I vetri Venini – Umberto Allemandi editore, 2008
Process – Laurence King Publishing, 2008
Box 40 – Fiera Milano Editore, 2008
1000 New Designs – Laurence King Publishing, 2006
100% Objects – EM Editore, 2005
Designers on Design – Conran Octopus Limited, 2004
Design Year Book - Laurence King Publishing, 2003
Venini Fuoco e Sabbia – De Agostini Rizzoli, 2002
Glassway – Skyra, 2002
Aperto Vetro – Electa, 2000
Design Year Book – Laurence King Publishing, 2000