La Galerie Nationale
Nestled
among the art galleries in Al Serkal Avenue is La Galerie Nationale, a
unique space dedicated to 20th-century “art furniture”. Because
investing in vintage furniture is something of a novel concept in this
part of the world, Guillaume Cuiry, the gallery’s founder, has had his
fair share of explaining to do. “People come in and say, ‘Where are the
paintings? Where are the sculptures? There’s nothing here.’”
Cuiry
often has to explain that the chairs, sconces, tables and other pieces
of furniture dotted around the gallery are, in fact, invaluable design
classics. There are armchairs by Warren Platner, Joe Colombo,
Jean-Pierre Laporte, Franck Dieleman and Louis Durot dating back to the
1960s and 1970s, sconces by Raymond Subes and a towering Spider
sculpture by Arnaud Rivieren, along with a host of other mid-century
treasures.
Cuiry is not suggesting that his customers
fill their homes with vintage furniture – but a well-placed statement
piece from a golden era in design can do wonders for a space.
“I’m
not an extremist. I’m not saying that you have to do 100 per cent of
your decoration in vintage; just like you wouldn’t do 100 per cent of
your decoration in 18th-century style, or only use wood or plastic. Art
is the ability to mix materials, periods, colours and functionality.”
This
is the place to come to if you are looking for a rare, one-off
investment piece – something to love and treasure and then, with any
luck, sell for a profit.
You can pick
up a piece of vintage furniture for up to 30 per cent less here than you
would in Europe, so if you have cash to spare it could be well worth
the investment. But even if you don’t and just love great design, pay La
Galerie Nationale a visit. And try to have a chat with Cuiry, who is as
charming as he is knowledgeable and passionate about design. Just don’t
ask where the paintings are.
• Unit 27, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1; www.galerie-nationale.com
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