This will be François Laffanour’s seventh year at PAD London, where he will be exhibiting a selection of creations by Ron Arad, together with key furniture designs from the 1940s and 50s by Jean Royère, Jean Prouvé and others…

With the help of a selection of designs by Ron Arad – who lives and works in London - François Laffanour will shine a spotlight on the links between contemporary design and post-war creations such as Jean Royère’s famous ‘liane’ floor lamp, Jean Prouvé’s ‘porthole’ door panel and a series of one-off polished metal tables by Ron Arad. This link readily manifests itself in terms of both shape and materials.

Laffanour - Galerie Downtown / Paris exhibits architects’ furniture designs, which are now recognized as real collectors’ items. The designs in question stand out for their intellectual rigour, commitment to social change and enthusiasm - we might even say radicalism - possessed as they were of sufficient vision and courage to strike out on new paths. The place of these items of furniture in the history of 20th century art must be seen through the spectrum of this period’s many social upheavals. This furniture is the product of a debate on the nature of modernity: the attempt to find a balance between the technical and that which is driven by questions of lifestyle - the end goal being to promote something that will be of use to society as a whole.

François Laffanour’s hallmark is an uncompromising approach to aesthetics, which finds its expression in many outlets, as his spectacular displays in art fairs and gallery exhibitions so vividly illustrate. Exhibitions at the rue de Seine gallery never fail to offer the chance to discover something that is original and remarkable in equal measure - testimony to the unparalleled expertise of François Laffanour - as well as investing these collections of furniture and exceptionally rare pieces with a historical importance that goes far beyond their basic function.

Laffanour - Galerie Downtown / Paris is the major exhibitor of Charlotte Perriand’s work, but it has also helped bring Jean Prouvé’s designs to a wider audience. The gallery also features work by designers from the immediate post-1950s period right up to the present-day who are interested in similar creative challenges, such as Ettore Sottsass, Ron Arad and Gaetano Pesce.

Upcoming events:

Preview of the Pierre Jeanneret exhibition, "Une table pour Madeleine et Jean Prouvé", October 24th 2013. The exhibition runs from October 24th to November 30th 2013.

The Salon, New York, November 14th to November 18th 2013.

Design Miami Basel / from December 4th to December 8th 2013.