Paris Design Week Showcase: FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

At Paris Design Week, a group exhibition reimagines collaboration, design, and storytelling through five bold voices.

Inspiration from a Norwegian Island

Café conversations often spark ideas, but sometimes entire landscapes inspire new creative bonds. FRIENDS¹ WITH² BENEFITS³, presented during Paris Design Week from September 4 to 8, emerged from a shared stay on a Norwegian island. The rocky backdrop forged friendships and ideas that now unite five designers: Elvis Wesley, Lola Mayeras, Pleun van Dijk, Sigve Knutson, and Thomas Ballouhey. The exhibition explores the bonds formed in unexpected settings and celebrates collaboration while allowing each artist’s unique vision to shine.

Elvis Wesley and Visual Sensitivity

Rotterdam-based Elvis Wesley leads a studio founded in 2017. With roots in photography, he brings a photographic mindset to every project, whether furniture, campaigns, or installations. His latest contribution to Paris Design Week includes photography, video, and a striking red metal object that grounds the exhibition in both image and form.

Lola Mayeras and Playful Ceramics

Designer Lola Mayeras grew up in the south of France surrounded by ceramics. After six years in Paris fashion, she launched her studio in 2020. Her work plays with curves and optical illusions, creating joyful ceramics and objects that blend art and lifestyle. In this exhibition, she contributed her signature ceramics, expanding her narrative into a futuristic yet tactile dimension while adding a unique touch to her participation.

Pleun van Dijk and Speculative Futures

Artist Pleun van Dijk translates scientific and technological questions into tangible forms. Her project Objects of Desire, shown here, imagines the hybrid relationship between humans and technology. By using datasets of intimate objects and machine learning algorithms, she created anthropomorphic sculptures that challenge perceptions of human and non-human. Consequently, viewers at Paris Design Week are invited to confront ethical questions about the future.

Sigve Knutson and Intuitive Craft

Norwegian artist Sigve Knutson values tools and materials as collaborators. His process-driven practice balances intuition with spontaneity. For FRIENDS¹ WITH² BENEFITS³, he created chairs that embody both rawness and craftsmanship. This unique approach has become a notable feature.

Thomas Ballouhey and Distorted Realities

Thomas Ballouhey creates objects as if everyday life passed through a distorting mirror. His metal works reimagine common materials and techniques, questioning how habits shape design. Consequently, the results are functional yet strangely unfamiliar, making his work a fascinating part of the Paris Design Week showcase.

A Celebration of Collaborative Design

Ultimately, FRIENDS¹ WITH² BENEFITS³ highlights what happens when distinct practices converge. Each contribution stands alone, yet together they form a landscape of collaboration. It is not just about design objects, but about the shared energy that drives creativity forward.