Fabrice Le Nezet: Palpable Tension

London based designer and artist Fabrice Le Nezet applies great consideration to the light and volume in his artwork. From weighty large-scale installations to petite and whimsical character studies, Le Nezet’s work demonstrates a deft handling of weight and buoyancy. In the Measure series, Le Nezet manages to coax a distinctive surface tension from dense, concrete blocks that suspend brightly painted metal bars. These impenetrable objects assume human characteristics, weighed down by circumstance. Human-like too are the pastel bits of metal that inhabit the surreal spaces of Spring/Summer, as though gaining momentum and dancing to appease the viewer.

Fabrice Le Nezet, Weight from the Measure series, concrete and painted steel, 17'5" x 5'3" x 6'7", 2012 — Fabrice Le Nezet, *Weight* from the *Measure* series, concrete and painted steel, 17’5″ x 5’3″ x 6’7″, 2012

[question] The large-scale sculptural installations included in the Measure series are self-referential as the titles Weight, Angle, and Distance consider its structure and integrity. [/question]

For this specific project, I had this idea of an abstract metal structure that would give a feeling of force and tension while being static. I developed the idea and finally came up with this concept of ‘measure’ translated as a group/family of three sculptures. The materials are challenging because everything must be planned in advance. I drew everything precisely and then created 3D models to be sure everything will look right from the human point-of-view in accordance with the architecture of the space.

Fabrice Le Nezet, Angle from the Measure series, concrete and painted steel, 8'7" x 9'11" x 3'4", 2012 — Fabrice Le Nezet, *Angle* from the *Measure* series, concrete and painted steel, 8’7″ x 9’11” x 3’4″, 2012

Fabrice Le Nezet, Distance from the Measure series, concrete and painted steel, 2012 — Fabrice Le Nezet, *Distance* from the *Measure* series, concrete and painted steel, 2012

Spring/Summer signals a departure from heavy objects into playful prints inspired by an art deco palette.

Spring/Summer is a Gyclee print project. After working on the Measure series, I wanted to do something light and fresh. I had this idea of a simplified, almost abstract female silhouette. I started playing with cubes and metal tubes, that eventually took on certain personalities, certain attitudes. It was conceived as a flat graphic, but I finally decided to keep a few metal parts in order to preserve a certain tangible quality and a sense of scale. The colors are fresh and Pop, which brings more life to these characters and imbues the composition with a bit of a retro style.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

I would say my work is playful. I work in between architecture, fashion, choreography and toy design

What informs your practice as a director, designer and artist?

I come from a scientific background, so mathematics, physics and biology are never too far from my work. I have directed quite a few short films (mixing both animation and live action) commercials and music promos; film is deeply rooted in narrative and this experience was important earlier in my practice. Recently, however, I felt the need to tell things differently, and deviated from any narrative structures. I wanted to do something more conceptual, more abstract but also more personal in the sense that there was no one else involved, I did not share my process with anyone. It was just me and my simple concept. Working as a designer has always been something really important for me and manifests across genre and media: architecture, sculpture, characters and objects. The design element has always been essential for me, so I know that whatever I’ll do in the future, good design will always be central.

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