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Design: Galerie Arte Award Winning Furniture Designs

Galerie Arte [Senegal]

Galerie Arte - Interior Design

[Image credit: Interior Design – Galerie Arte]

Galerie Arte is a veritable treasure trove, home to an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional furniture, home décor, art, jewellery and handicrafts from highly skilled African artists and artisans. I was introduced to the Senegalese gallery by Ratiba, a current Dakar resident and décor lover who described it as ‘Dakar’s most beautiful place’, and having had a virtual browse, looks like the kind of place I could quite easily get ‘lost’ in for a few hours. The gallery/showroom located in Dakar was established by designer Joëlle le Bussy in 1996, in part due to her observations on African woods being exported to Europe to be made into furniture that was then being imported back to Africa to be sold by local retailers, prompting her desire to challenge this practice this by designing furniture and other home décor objects that would be created locally using the wood.

Joëlle’s award-winning furniture designs are a mix of African and European styles influenced by her multicultural Belgian Congolese and Senegalese French heritage. Galerie Arte’s furniture collections are handcrafted in the gallery’s on-site cabinet making workshop which employs the craftsmanship and skills of ten cabinet makers who hail from Casamance, a region in the south of Senegal known for its traditional and cultural respect towards wood. Senegalese woodwork, in general, is said to emanate from the southern region, where the climate is wetter allowing for several varieties of trees to grow, and as an integral part of daily life is seen as sacred. Wooden art, however, is said to be rare in the northern part of Senegal due to a Sahelian climate, which is semi-arid, resulting in mainly hardier species such as palm and baobab trees growing there. The wood used by Galerie Arte is certified, coming from legal sources, in addition to using other pieces of wood that are reclaimed from driftwood and found pieces.

Galerie Arte - desk

Galerie Arte - Tall boy

[Image credits: Galerie Arte]

Joëlle’s designs also recycle elements of traditional African art such as a Dogon hut door from Mali being used in place of standard cupboard doors, a feature of the Nongo furniture collection which is designed to tell Africa’s history through the pieces. Another collection featuring more contemporary designs utilises the African woods in motifs and sees the combination of the different wood types and shades resulting in a tonal patchwork effect. The furniture designs are accentuated with handles created by Senegalese blacksmiths and have been cast in iron or bronze using the lost wax method. All pieces created are limited edition or one-of-a-kind and are complemented by the carefully selected works of art for sale in the gallery.

Galerie Arte - Statues

[Image credits: Galerie Arte]

If the gallery’s offerings leave you a bit undecided as to how to to make it all work in your home or desired space, Joëlle also offers an interior design service.

…an inspirational blend of contemporary and traditional African style

Additional details:
For further information about Galerie Arte visit: www.arte.sn
 

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