Galerie Pradier-Jeauneau’s Future of Furniture at PAD London
“We are the future of furniture,” says the duo behind Galerie Pradier-Jeauneau in Paris.
“We are the future of furniture,” says the duo behind Galerie Pradier-Jeauneau in Paris. This year, the young gallery, which opened its flagship location on Rue de Verneuil in April 2024 and launched its first exhibition, The Beginning, September 5, makes its debut appearance at collectible design fair PAD London. It’s a bold claim, but co-owners Jérémy Pradier and Aurélien Jeauneau aren’t shy about making it. “The gallery embraces a strong editorial stance—radicality,” they say. “We are convinced that we are building a solid fortress that is anchored in the history of design.”
Describing their gallery as a “laboratory dedicated to contemporary French design,” Pradier, who has a background in producing independent French cinema, and Jeauneau, a design historian specializing in the works of midcentury innovator Pierre Guariche, present numbered and limited-edition works produced exclusively in France. “Defending French creation means first and foremost defending francophone creators,” they assert.
Before opening their gallery of original works, they spent a decade honing their historical knowledge by running an antique shop at the famous Saint-Ouen flea market. “The crazy ambition that runs through this project is to invent the classics of tomorrow that young antique dealers will be chasing in 40 years,” they say. “This is why the pieces are numbered and why we keep a creative journal: we lay the foundations of a heritage that we hope is solid.”
They collaborate with designers including Axel Chay, Isabelle Stanislas, Anthony Guerrée, Mathieu Delacroix, and Antoine Marquis. “At the heart of our PAD presentation, there will be this timeless sofa by Axel Chay, which plays on ’80s influences while evoking the interior designers and decorators of the early 20th century,” Pradier and Jeauneau explain. “Its face, framed by two wooden triangles cut cleanly, reveals a rounded back which surprises with its softness. In response, a totemic shelf made of inverted triangles is placed on a stainless-steel base. And the floor lamp, with an urban look in brass and aluminum, is a moving reference to Axel’s father’s watch, which watches over this warm and unique family.”
Along with the sofa, shelf, and lamp by Chay, visitors will encounter a daybed by Isabelle Stanislas, the French modernist architect who was commissioned to redesign the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the presidents of France, for Emmanuel Macron in 2018.
“Our ambition is to support the designers who question the decades with a strong point of view, and every artist we will show at PAD London belongs to this category,” say Pradier and Jeauneau. “We want to create a global collection, with bold shapes and powerful images, which is part of the history of French decorative arts.”
Moreover, they want to carve out a dedicated space for hosting, inspiring, and promoting new talent in France—a modern-day salon. “We want to create an atmosphere like our home: a subtle dialogue between art, design, and vintage pieces,” the partners say. “A safe place to stay, to dream, to talk about the future. It’s radical, yes, but comfortable and warm.”
From October 8 to 13, design connoisseurs leap to PAD London, the international design fair poised to launch its 16th edition. Over 10 weeks, NUVO shines a spotlight on the fair’s roster of talented newcomers, many of whom are local to London, and identifies the artists and exhibitors who should be on every visitor’s radar.
