Nicolas MOMEIN

Nicolas Momeinwas born in 1980 in Saint-Étienne and lives and works in Paris. He initially trained as an upholsterer, then resumed his studies and graduated from the École Supérieure d’Art et de Design de Saint-Étienne in 2011 and from the Haute École d’Art et Design de Genève (HEAD) in 2012. His work straddles the boundaries between sculpture and painting and plays with hybrid forms—sometimes realistic, sometimes organic—that are often repurposed from their original use or undergoing metamorphosis. The materials he uses are also chosen for their specific properties—their connection to the artist’s memories of the past, their link to craftsmanship and nature—and, here too, they are used in ways that diverge from their original purpose: bulgomme, rubber, horsehair, rock wool, soap, salt, vintage bath towels…

For its 19th edition, Private Choice presents its Finger Maze series of chairs and coffee tables, featuring a “playful” aesthetic that evokes both the learning experience and memories of school furniture. These sculptural chairs appear to be shaped directly from the material, with rolled edges framing the segments of the seat and backrest.

Building on the research begun with his *Terre-plein* series, this system transforms the line into a function: it frames and contains the colors, which flow to form smooth, painterly surfaces. The contrast between the roughness of the shaping and the soft, lustrous quality of the flat areas creates a visual tension. Straddling the line between formal experimentation and collective associations, playfulness and practicality, theFinger Mazeseries asserts its hybrid status: elementary objects transformed into works of art, both familiar and unique.

Presentation based on the text by ColAAb.