The idea of wallpaper dates back to the 1400s, when hand-painted paper was adopted in Europe as an alternative to tapestries or panelling by the lower echelons of society. Early wallpaper comprised of small squares of woodblock-printed paper; the more complicated the design, the more costly the paper, since more blocks were required. In the 1600s, the French made wallpaper more acceptable through imitating stylish fabrics and needlework. Towards the end of the 17th century, a new innovation led to sheets of wallpaper being joined together to form a roll. Then, in the 1780s, the French invented machine-printed wallpaper, which heralded widespread usage.
Rather than taking a chronological approach, the exhibition is structured around six themes. These are based on ennobling, imagining, disguising, storytelling, inspiring, and playing with the wall. The first room examines wallpaper’s ornamental capacity, with pieces including 18th century arabesque wallpaper by Réveillon, along with Studio Job’s recent skeleton motif.
The subsequent room explores how artistic genres have been reinterpreted. This moves onto 18th and 19th century optical tricks, such as using painted lace and drapery to create the illusion of texture and volume. How art historical references such as Etruscan, Neoclassical, Neo-Gothic, and Oriental- ism have inspired wallpaper designs, are also investigated. One of these exhibits is a trompe-l'oeil effect by Maison Margiela, a pale grey wallpaper depicting a pair of embossed doors.
How the idea of embellishing a wall has been adopted in more ambitious ways is displayed in the last two rooms. Here we get to see how cardboard, leather, and metallised materials have been employed, in addition to mural installations by the publishers of Piero Fornasetti and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Two prevailing ideas emerge: the role of wallpaper in evoking desire and the fascination that today’s creatives have for making it. “Wallpaper was used in the 19th century by the bourgeoisie and people living in cities, which is why, paradoxically, many of the papers depict nature”, says de la Hougue, referring to the popularity of idyllic scenes. Wallpaper manufacturing used to be a specialist domain, but more recently, artists, architects, and designers have been bringing new ideas to this industry. “Le Corbusier said that what he liked about wallpaper was that you could be sure of what you were getting, unlike wall paint, which looked different depending on how many coats you applied and the kind of brushstrokes you used”, she continues.
For evidence of the wallpaper revival, look at how British supplier Graham & Brown has been commissioning Marcel Wanders, Kelly Hoppen, and Julien MacDonald (none of which feature in the show) to create wallpaper designs. “Commissioning artists to create wallpapers in small series is emblematic of current production trends”, de la Hougue adds. More daring, however, is Watching the War by Italian artist Francesco Simeti, a Middle Eastern land- scape engulfed in clouds of smoke. It’s difficult to imagine somebody papering a room with it, but, as de la Hougue points out, how we use wallpaper has changed too. “Before, we would use it to decorate an entire room, and now we’re more likely to apply it to only one wall or panel.”
Faire Le Mur is at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 21 January to 12 June 2016.
The subsequent room explores how artistic genres have been reinterpreted. This moves onto 18th and 19th century optical tricks, such as using painted lace and drapery to create the illusion of texture and volume. How art historical references such as Etruscan, Neoclassical, Neo-Gothic, and Oriental- ism have inspired wallpaper designs, are also investigated. One of these exhibits is a trompe-l'oeil effect by Maison Margiela, a pale grey wallpaper depicting a pair of embossed doors.
This article appeared in DAMN°54. Order your personal copy.
