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If you have walked past the Hermès Liat Towers in Singapore recently, you would have noticed it has a new window display. Titled En Passant, it is designed by New York-based creative director and still life artist Sonia Rentsch, and themed upon the idea of “play”.
To this end, Rentsch created an installation modelled after her childhood home and a doll house built by her father. Hermès products such as the Balcon du Guadalquivir table service, Equilibre d’Hermès magnifying glass and various leather accessories complete the scene.
d+a finds out more from the designer, whose work will be on display till 25 February 2019.
“Our house had lots of stairs – small sets of them that followed the incline of the hill we lived upon and allowed foot flow from open space to open space. If one found themselves chasing an older sibling, you could run in circles for days. The staircases navigated a perfect loop from hall, to study, to dining room, to kitchen, to hall, to study, to dining room, to kitchen and onwards. Perhaps it is here that my appreciation for a good staircase began, the wonder of pondering where a set of stairs may or could lead, the feet trailing upwards and downwards and the eyes to follow.”
Why did you feel this concept was suitable for the Hermès Liat Towers store window in Singapore?
When exploring the malls on Orchard Road, I felt as though I had stepped into an Escher-like dollhouse – so many stairs and passages that took you round in circles. On contemplating Hermès’ theme for the year, Play, I conjured memories of my own childhood doll house and the two seemed to fit nicely together.
Why did you entitle it En Passant?
En Passant is the name of a classic chess move but it also simply means “in the act of passing”. It seems to nicely describe the relationship of the viewers on the street to the installation, and [hints at] the possibility of playful interaction between two people.
What does the word “play” mean to you?
Play to me is a joyful way of looking at the world with open-eyed possibility. It’s a fascination that inspires exploration and adventure.
In your opinion, how does the concept of play complement the Hermès brand?
Hermès epitomises play in its clever reinvention of simple things. A scarf becomes a treasure, a piece of luggage an adventure. Even from its earliest days, the House had a sophisticated understanding of how to inspire high spirited pleasure through the use of its designs.
What were the challenges you faced in putting this concept together?
Working from afar can be problematic at times – understanding scale and the fall of light, the size of product – there’s so many pieces that have to fit together and once we’re onsite, it all has to happen in a limited amount of time, with little room for change. I tend to work on photographic sets more often than not, which is the complete opposite.
What are some examples of the parameters you had to play with in designing this window installation?
The windows in this particular store are an odd size and shape – carrying the story between the windows needed to make sense without losing a sense of continuum. There are challenges with access we had to consider before building the installation, as well as placement of the products to allow sufficient light.
How does this installation represent your artistic style?
I like to tell stories in my work – this one was particularly personal and came from much thought regarding my own childhood play and the concept of possibility: the innocence of looking at a world where there are no limitations placed on where you dream to go.
How can art be a type of design?
I’m not sure I truly see a difference between the two – art is always a design of sorts. A painting is a construction of lines and colours, as is a building or a product. Design is thought and emotion made real. All are poetry.
