Louis Alcaraz (b.1990) combines the know-how of luxury craftsmanship and his sensitivity to offer an invitation to contemplation. After a reflection on the material and color, he mixes leather goods, patina work, and design in order to give life to works and objects that question our relationship with time. Freeze the passing of time. No one controls time. By taking objects out of their form and everyday context, they become timeless. Different techniques and approaches to leather craftsmanship are used. Superimposed or hollowed out to create relief, in the form of braiding, molding or repetition of pieces. To age certain pieces, patina techniques are used. The colors that mix, the gradients and the shine capture the light to offer the rusty effect.
Recently in Paris, Whitewall Projects raised the curtain on an inaugural group exhibition. Coinciding with Art Basel Paris, near the Grand Palais, the show, “From Nature” dazzled throughout a chic Parisian apartment on 37 Roosevelt 75008 Paris. Curated by Emma Donnersberg, Marion Guggenheim, and Nicolas Dewavrin, the presentation shined light on visionaries Maho Nakamura, Fabien Adèle, Apollinaria Broche, Mia Chaplin, Eugénie Didier, Daria Dmytrenko, DRIFT, Sasha Ferré, Pandora Graessl, Rafael Y. Herman, Alexandre Lenoir, William Macnad, Kami Mierzvvinsk, Roman Moriceau, Ileana García Magoda, and Alcaraz. The lush exhibition was staged by Donnersberg, enhanced by Flos lighting and Diptyque fragrances. Whitewall spoke with Alcaraz recently about his studio practice.
Courtesy of Louis Alcaraz
Courtesy of Louis Alcaraz.
WHITEWALL: How would you describe your creative practice?
LOUIS ALCARAZ: Ten years ago, I studied leather goods, working with several major houses, and then with Berluti, where I learned to work with color. Today, my work is a blend of all these professional and artistic experiences. I design my pieces by combining leather goods techniques and color work while adding a poetic dimension.
WW: Can you tell us about how your time at Berluti impacted your artistic practice?
LA: Working at Berluti was a very enriching experience, creating colors for collections, fashion shows, special projects and so on. I was lucky enough to work with many talented people, led by Kris Van Assche. This experience taught me the patience to try again and again, and not to be afraid of making mistakes by letting your creative process run free.
Louis Alcaraz’s Ability to Give Material A New Life
WW: Can you tell us about the kinds of materials you are drawn to?
LA: I love all the subtleties of leather, which can be worked in almost infinite ways. I’m particularly inspired by the image of using a material that is initially living, then recovered and reworked to give it new life. I also like to use materials that may not seem noble at first glance, but which can become so through the work they undergo. For example, microfiber, originally intended as a leather reinforcement, is now used as a material in its own right. I try as much as possible to work with recycled materials, using scraps and so on.
WW: How do you see your work in relationship to nature?
LA: I’ve always been fascinated by nature. When I was a child, my grandfather passed on to me his passion for gardens, flowers and nature in general. I also have a special relationship with the passage of time, and with my work I try to freeze a moment. To prevent a flower or plant from withering, as if it were becoming eternal.
“I also have a special relationship with the passage of time, and with my work I try to freeze a moment.”
Louis Alcaraz
WW: Tell us about your color palette. What tones you’re drawn to?
LA: I’m attracted (ironically, after working at Berluti) to cool colors, and often to monochrome. From my point of view, it accentuates the effect of a frozen object. I like the contrast of white and black, the softness of gray and the calm of blue.
WW: Can you tell us about the pieces that will be on view in the exhibition?
LA: A duo of bouquet de Lys, which expresses the shift in time, when I was in Paris and someone dear to me was in Seoul. The patina covering the leather refers to the sky, one by day and the other by night. A duet of lilies that evokes the inner wounds that will remain engraved, but which time will gradually close. I created this piece following the loss of my grandfather. A monstera representing the journey of a lifetime. The micro-fiber and its grayish, lunar aspect, echoing the arrival at the end of the road, but which will never disappear, as if frozen for eternity. And last but not least, a deep-black orchid, a tribute to Beauty that’s particularly close to my heart.
WW: What was the starting point for these works?
LA: These pieces were created at different important moments for me. They use different materials and techniques, but the guiding principle is the same.
WW: Where do you typically be with an artwork?
LA: I always start a new work following an emotion I need to express, whether happy or sad. I look for a way to translate that emotion, then shape it with a particular technique, a specific material, etc.
Courtesy of Louis Alcaraz.
Courtesy of Louis Alcaraz.
Inside Louis Alcaraz’s Paris Studio Where Time Stands Still
WW: Can you tell us about your studio in Paris ?
LA: My studio is part of my apartment. Or my apartment is part of my studio. I like to be immersed in my own world when I work, so it’s easier for my mind to escape.
WW: What is a typical day like for you there?
LA: I usually start early in the morning with drawings, visuals, colors and materials. I research and try to combine them with new techniques and forms in the form of prototypes. I then spend a lot of time trying to find the combination I have in mind.
WW: Is there an element of your creative process you make sure to do each day?
LA: I often go for walks early in the morning, when the city is still asleep. It relaxes me and helps me concentrate. I often get ideas for textures or how to make something possible that I’ve been stuck on for days just by walking around when it’s quiet.
WW: What are you working on next in the studio?
LA: I’m currently working on a series in the continuity of patchworks, which requires a lot of thought, but which I particularly like.
Installation view of “From Nature,” photo by Victor Jacques.
