january 15th, 2024 — march 12th, 2024

Bouke De Vries at Galerie Quai Malaquais

Dries Van Noten is honored to announce an installation by Bouke de Vries at the Galerie Quai Malaquais in Paris.

BOUKE DE VRIES AT GALERIE QUAI MALAQUAIS

Using his skills as a restorer, Bouke de Vries reclaims broken pots after their accidental trauma, calling it ‘the beauty of destruction’. Instead of reconstructing them, he deconstructs them. Instead of hiding the evidence of this most dramatic episode in the life of a ceramic object, he emphasises their new status, instilling new virtues, new values, and moving their stories forward.

The installation featuring four artworks is available until March 12th at the Galerie Quai Malaquais, a new retail space devoted exclusively to fragrance, beauty and accessories in the heart of Paris’ Rive Gauche. The site sits alongside the men’s and women’s stores, a setting with an enduring artistic legacy.

Dries Van Noten showcases his commitment towards the world of art, craft and design.

ABOUT BOUKE DE VRIES

Born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Bouke De Vries studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven, and Central St Martin’s, London. After working with John Galliano, Stephen Jones and Zandra Rhodes, he switched careers and studied ceramics conservation and restoration at West Dean College. Every day in his practice as a private conservator he was faced with issues and contradictions around perfection and worth:

‘The Venus de Milo is venerated despite losing her arms, but when a Meissen muse loses a finger she is rendered virtually worthless.’

The artist challenges notions of perfection and worth by finding new potential in what is broken, repurposing materials rather than letting them go to waste, finding beauty and meanings in what is damaged.

ABOUT GALERIE QUAI MALAQUAIS

Dries Van Noten Galerie Quai Malaquais celebrates the power of unexpected fusions in a space that’s rich in history. Devoted exclusively to fragrance, beauty and accessories, the site sits alongside the men's and women's stores in the heart of Paris' Rive Gauche. An evocative and characterful environment in which to experience the Dries Van Noten world.

SEE THE STORE

Photography

SOIE MALAQUAIS

Inspired by the texture of the silk dresses of Dries Van Noten's Parisian boutique, Soie Malaquais blends warm chestnut with sensual vanilla in a unique Delft blue porcelain and burgundy glass bottle.