Charles Kalpakian

Charles Kalpakian was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1982. After a long collaboration with the prestigious design firms OraIto and Christophe Pillet, in 2011 Charles opened his studio to develop original objects. Over the past decade, he has become a prominent figure in collectible design. 

“I’m considering myself as an Artist–Designer who evolves in a multi–disciplinary world. The client does not see the differences between paintings, sculptures and collectible furniture. The trend was always Art in general. It’s linked to our society and our way of life,” says the artist. 

His practice includes collaboration with leading galleries, exhibition institutions and museums, among them Design Miami and the Collectible exhibition in Brussels, where he showcased his 3D–wood experiments created during the lockdown.

The designer's style was influenced by his strong oriental identity, French craft traditions and urban contemporary culture. A pure visual language was born from this radical mix, reminiscent of calligraphy in space. Kalpakian relies on the laws of optical art and optical illusions, and expresses them through sophisticated objects. He rethinks the ideas of arts and crafts in a modern way, especially by using various materials. 

“The material is the strong link to the creation process and the project in general. It is very important to me to highlight the connection between handwork, craftsmanship and industrial techniques. I explore different visual support techniques such as photography, 3D–work, writing, drawings and prototyping in my workshop. Sketching is the method that I use most commonly. I create a collection of furniture and object and it is very important to have a common tactile and aesthetic approach. Each shape and color are an echo of the collective memory of each person,” says Kalpakian, “For me wood and stone are the most important materials. There is a duality and a diversity in them, the warmth and the cold. Both can be used in the CNC process as well as in craft techniques, and in projects of different scale”.