Ferréol Babin

In his workshop, Ferréol Babin sculpts the material directly by hand, or with tools that he has sometimes shaped himself. The artist works with an extreme rigour in which the functional aspect does not overshadow the poetry of the material.

born in 1987, France
works and lives near Nantes

After graduating in Space Design at ENSA Dijon (École Nationale Supérieure d’Art & Design), he moved to Japan for a while to study at NUA (Nagoya University of Art & Design). On his return to France, he trained with Studio Robert Stadler in Paris, then in 2012 obtained a Master’s degree in Object Design at ESAD in Reims (École Supérieure d’Art & Design). In 2014 he was awarded a one-year residency in the design department at Fabrica, the research centre founded by Benetton and based in Treviso, Italy.

Most of his time is devoted to creating unique pieces of furniture and sculptures made entirely by hand in solid wood and sometimes ceramic, somewhere between sculpture and design. He collaborates with galleries all over the world and regularly works for architects and interior designers such as Kelly Wearstler, Nicole Hollis and Pierre Yovanovitch.

Ferréol Babin also designs objects for industrial manufacturers of furniture, lighting and accessories such as Revol, Fontana Arte, Pulpo, Habitat and Bibelo.

His designs harmoniously combine rational, functional necessity with poetic, emotional desire, giving rise to objects that are calm yet intriguing.

Education

Space design – École nationale supérieure d’art (Ensa) – Dijon (FR)

Nagoya University of Art & Design – Nagoya (JP)

Object design – École supérieure d’art et de design (ESAD) – Reims (FR)

Group exhibitions

2023

Midsummer – Galerie Sinople – Paris (FR)

2021

A new realism – Friedman Benda Gallery – New York (USA)

2018

Poème brut – Musée du design – Gand (BE)