Memory Games: Alain Gilles’ Collage Tables

In a previous post we looked at the "Nomad" lamp designed by Alain Gilles Studio appearing on Jean-Paul Lespagnard's runway. Gilles has just released a one-off custom version of his "Collage" table that deserves a mention on this site since it has something quite arty, almost Mondrian-esque about it.

Originally designed for Bonaldo in 2011, the new edition was specially made for the 30th Anniversary of the magazine "Le Vif/Knack Weekend".

The limited edition of the “Collage” table features a hand sketch drawing of the table overimposed onto the final product to give it a sense of dynamic movement.

Movement, connection and interconnecion are actually the main points behind these pieces: all but one table are linked and therefore constrained in their movement. The centre point is the circular top table that serves as the link and articulation to 3 other tables that can partially gravitate around it in order to be positioned according to the needs and desire of the users.

This circular table can also swivel around and there is also an extra loose table that can be positioned anywhere and redefine the architectures of this aggregated sofa table from an elongated shape to a square-like shape depending on the length of the sofa and its relationship with other seats in the room.

In a press release Gilles recounted the genesis of the tables: “These modular sofa tables have something to do with memories, vivid memories of odd shapes spotted in unusual places….Or how existing, recycled shapes, can give birth to a concept, a movement and new functionalities. It is the persisting image of an awkward collection of frameless mirrors of various sizes and obviously belonging to different eras that caught my eyes on a flea market and eventually gave birth to this collage of tables. Just like a 'collage' art piece, these fragments of mental images have been extracted out of their original context and functionalities, and reassembled in order to generate a new entity with new function. In some versions, the concept of the collage is further emphasized by the use of different colours/material per 'module'.”