I listened to Hermès en Contrepoint and heard a myriad of beats, different notes and rhythms, a veritable cornucopia of refrains. Shapes materialised in my mind’s eye — circles, squares, diamonds. Vivid friezes then adopted the tempo, chanting their cadence.
I embellished these mesmerising bands, arranging them into various permutations as if they were musical scores. They hum their perpetually renewing vibrations into my insatiable eyes. I have metamorphosed into a visual musician, my humble kitchen transformed into a grand orchestral conductor.
I assemble the pieces in counterpoint so that no two days are ever identical. From an infinite stream of chromatic choirs, potential harmonies emerge. I perform a solo, a recital.
The audience revels in a programme of exquisite moments. Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry, artistic directors of Hermès Maison, envisioned this new 33-piece kaolin white porcelain tableware collection, adorned with friezes in soft or vibrant hues — pinks, violets, blues, greens, oranges — thirty distinct shades. The dynamic geometric motifs, hand-drawn and painted in watercolour by artist Nigel Peake, transport us into the graphic realm of musical metre and its recurring fractions, inviting us to create a plethora of combinations.
Plates and cups with diverse friezes, a minimalist teapot and platters. Each piece boasts its own décor, its own rhythm. Simplicity and freshness invariably ring true.