ERIC PARRY ARCHITECTS DESIGN LONDON’S FIRST MODERNIST DESIGN GALLERY
7 Oct 2008

Eric Parry Architects (EPA) has designed what will be London’s first gallery specialising in Modernist design which opens tomorrow (Wednesday 8th October). Situated in the heart of Mayfair, the Sebastian + Barquet gallery will create 66 square metres of versatile exhibition space as well as offices and a private viewing room.
EPA’s design creates a new front to the gallery, and the building’s interiors have all been designed to provide flexible spaces to exhibit examples of seminal pieces of Modernist design.
Sebastian + Barquet London

New Hope Installation shots


Sebastian + Barquet London Installation Shot 1
New Hope
Sebastian + Barquet London
8 October - 15 November 2008
From Left:
George Nakashima: Wall-mounted cabinet, USA, c.1960 ; "Conoid" Bench, 1974; Phillip Lloyd Powell: Coffee Table, c.1970 ; Wendell Castle: Two-seated sofa, 1967
Photo: Merry Brownfield


Sebastian + Barquet London Installation Shot 2
New Hope
Sebastian + Barquet London
8 October - 15 November 2008
From Left:
Paul Evans: Sculpted Bronze Cat Cabinet, c.1972; Vertical Cabinet (from Sculpted Front series), 1969; Ball, c.1965; A sculpted front sideboard, 1969
Photo: Merry Brownfield


Sebastian + Barquet London Exterior
Photo: Merry Brownfield

The gallery will open with New Hope, Sebastian + Barquet London’s inaugural exhibition of American Modernist design, conceived by Eric Parry. The exhibition will feature seminal and classic works by George Nakashima, Paul Evans, Philip Lloyd Powell and Wendell Castle. Around fifteen works in the show will include Nakashima’s seminal Conoid Bench and Evans’ intricately sculpted sideboards, crafted from slate, wood and steel. The title of the show, New Hope, references an area of Pennsylvania, where many of the American Modernist designers lived and worked.

Sebastian + Barquet London will specialise in 1940s - 1960s international Modernist design, of museum quality, presented through a coherent programme of curated exhibitions. The gallery will mount five shows per year and the first year's programme will include exhibitions of work by Isamu Noguchi and Jean Prouvé.

Design Gallery Opening in London, October 2008
Sebastian + Barquet

Inaugural show to be conceived by architect Eric Parry


Press Release 10 Jul 2008

Sebastian + Barquet, London’s First Modernist Design Gallery
to Open in October 2008

Opening Exhibition: New Hope, 8 Oct - 15 Nov 2008

London’s first Modernist design gallery, Sebastian + Barquet, will open on Bruton Place, W1 on 8 October 2008. The gallery will open with New Hope, an exhibition of American Modernist design. Sebastian + Barquet London will specialise in 1940s - 1960s international Modernist design, of museum quality, presented through a coherent programme of curated exhibitions. The gallery will mount five shows per year and the first year's programme will include exhibitions of work by Isamu Noguchi and Jean Prouvé. Sebastian + Barquet London will be situated in the heart of Mayfair, at the centre of London’s art market, and will offer 66 square metres of exhibition space, as well as offices and a private viewing room.

New Hope, Sebastian + Barquet London’s inaugural show will be conceived by award winning architect Eric Parry. The exhibition will feature seminal and classic works by George Nakashima, Paul Evans, Philip Lloyd Powell and Wendell Castle. Around fifteen works in the show will include Powell’s sleek curved walnut coffee table and Evans’ intricately sculpted sideboards, crafted from slate, wood and steel. The title of the show, New Hope, references an area of Pennsylvania, where many of the American Modernist designers lived and worked.
Of the opening, Helene Murphy, Director of Sebastian + Barquet London said: “The gallery will present design masterpieces; works of art in the form of furniture. There is a growing international trend for collecting Modernist design. We’re bringing Sebastian + Barquet to London, to give the London based collectors and interior designers access to the very best museum quality works. More and more people are starting to collect design like they collect art.”

The inspiration for Sebastian + Barquet is Ramis Barquet, founder of Sebastian + Barquet, New York. In addition to launching as a gallery Sebastian + Barquet London will participate in the key international design fairs, including DesignArt London, taking place in Berkeley Square from 15 to 19 October 2008.



London Houses

London Architecture

Sebastian + Barquet London
Address: 19 Bruton Place, London W1J 6LZ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7495 8988 Fax: +44 (0)20 7495 4800

Admission: Free
Opening hours: 10am – 6pm, Monday to Friday; 11am – 1pm on Saturdays

New Hope: 8 October – 15 November 2008

Paul Evans
Sculpted front sideboard, 1969
Lacquered and gilt steel, wood and slate
63.5 x 135.9 x 57.1 cm
25 x 53.5 x 22.5 inches

Courtesy of Sebastian + Barquet

Ramis Barquet
Ramis Barquet was born in Mexico City in 1954. He developed a passion for art and architecture at a young age, inspired by his parents' cutting edge Modernist home and taste in interior design. In 1986, Barquet opened a gallery in Monterrey, Mexico, working with the young emerging Latin American artists, such as Francis Alÿs and Beatriz Milhazes, and the more prominent artists, such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Barquet moved to New York in 1996, opening a gallery in the Fuller Building on 57th Street, and a second gallery on 24th Street in Chelsea. Around this time he began investing in Modernist design from the 50s, 60s and 70s. He opened the Sebastian + Barquet gallery in 2006 and the showroom in 2007, both in New York and designed by Mexican architect Enrique Norten.

Helene Murphy
Helene Grimes Murphy was born in New York, and moved to Ireland in 1982. She studied Business at Trinity College, Dublin and pursued a career in Human Resources in investment banking and later at Sony in New York. In 1998, she made a decisive career change commencing studies at Sotheby's Institute, London, completing a BA in Fine and Decorative Art in 2004, followed by an MA in Contemporary Art in 2007. Helene was appointed Director of Sebastian + Barquet London in 2007.

Eric Parry
Eric Parry established his architectural practice in 1983 and has since completed many award winning buildings, such as the home of the London Stock Exchange at 10 Paternoster Square, the acclaimed office building at 30 Finsbury Square, London and the Bedford Music School. Recent projects include the restoration and renewal project at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, and a commercial tower at 5 Aldermanbury Square. Parry was elected Royal Academician in 2006, and is a Past President of the Architectural Association (2005-07).

Sebastian + Barquet, London’s First Modernist Design Gallery info from Calum Sutton PR 100708



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Website: www.sebastianbarquetlondon.com