With much regret we learned that Pierre Paulin has passed away at the age of 81 years in Montpellier (France). We offer his wife Maïa, his children and family our deepest sympathy and our sincere condolences.
Pierre Paulin was of significant importance for the design furniture industry in general and especially for Artifort. In the year 2007 we celebrated his 60-60-80 jubilee, 50 years as a designer for Artifort, 60 years working as a designer in general, and his 80th birthday.
Pierre Paulin experimented with fabrics and materials, but the seating comfort was his highest goal. Together with Kho Liang Ie and Geoffrey Harcourt it was the start of a period with new design methods. His legacy is gigantic. On one hand through a large collection of classic designs - of which quite a lot of products still are in the current Artifort collection, and on the other hand through his philosophy, which makes him a great example for many designers.
During an international furniture show in 1958, styled by Kho Liang Ie, Paulin impressed
with a contemporary chair. Since this show he is a free lance designer for Artifort. It is the start of a long and fruitful co-operation. Because of the striking sculptural forms, his designs do distinguish themselves. Pierre Paulin has received worldwide awards.
His designs are timeless and up to today modern and progressive. No form because of the form, but applied design. His famous designs for Artifort are the Ribbon chair (1966), but also the Orange Slice, Tongue, Little Tulip and Mushroom belong to the Classics designs. These and a lot other Paulin designs are still part of the Artifort collection. The work of Pierre Paulin is also shown in museums all over the world, f.i. the MoMa in New York, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He also designed the interiors of the French Presidents Pompidou and Mitterand in the Elysée in Paris.
He lived his last years in his house in the French Cevennes. He will be cremated with only his family present in Nîmes, June the 16th. At www.artifort.com/register a condoleance register is opened, this will be offered to the Paulin-family in a few weeks.