RAILS X MAG
Gwendoline Porte, b. 1974 France, lives and works in London.
Marc-Antoine Goulard, b. 1964 France, lives and works in the South of France.
Donated Artwork
Combining their artistic and design skills, the pair, who met at a charity gala for the LP4Y association, have taken Porte’s original RAILS concept and added a bespoke twist thanks to Goulard’s approach to colour and texture. Their work resides in an exploration of the concept of ‘journey’, often expressed emotionally by Goulard and spatially by Porte.
Part-way between sculpture and furniture, the RAILS range is a modular concept designed by Porte, inspired by the form of railway tracks. Behind each piece lies the idea of creating constant new possibilities and interactions, resulting in different ways to reinvent a space.
Porte and Goulard’s uniquely crafted structure was conceived out of a desire to extend the concept of better living outside of the design community and into the world-at-large. The pair’s chosen charity, with its quest for social and professional integration, resonated strongly with their own ideas about how ergonomic design and thought- provoking art has the power to change lives for the better. The artwork creates a three-dimensional painting that can be seen from any angle, forming a complete 360-degree view.
RAILS X MAG
Plywood, acrylic, pigments
75 x 40 x 30 cm
Unique
About Marc-Antoine Goulard
Marc-Antoine Goulard began his career as a classical musician. He studied the flute and composition at the Conservatory of Music in Paris, where he graduated with honours and became a concertist. In 1985, he left France for the USA to study saxophone and jazz at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Whilst music, with its foundation of tone and composition, provided him the means for expression, it is in painting that Goulard found his creative voice.
He discovered painting and received a residency at the Josef Albers and Annie Foundation in Bethany, Connecticut. Early influences included Mark Rothko, Antoni Tàpies, and Nicholas de Staël. Continuing to study and refine his techniques and
style, Marc-Antoine’s work was first exhibited in Boston in 1990. Since then, he has had many exhibitions in Paris, LA and New York and his work is found in prestigious collections in Europe and America.
Goulard paints on wood panels, starting by applying a background of white as the base of his canvas, and then building up layers of colour to create subtle combinations of translucent shades. He works with painting knives instead of brushes, like a spatula, which works for him as an extension of his hand. His musical and jazz background is in his work, expressed through light, colour and spontaneity.
About Gwendoline Porte
Gwendoline Porte is a French designer and interior designer. She spent her childhood under the Caribbean sun and the shade of palm trees, growing up barefoot, in contact with warm sand of Guadeloupe. As an adult, she moved to Paris to study and work as a PR in fashion, events, arts and digital marketing. She then moved to London, whose cosmopolitan nature prompted her to embrace the idea that “anything is possible”.
In 2015, Porte graduated in Interior Design at Chelsea College of Arts, UAL, receiving the Dean’s Award for her work. RAILS, designed as a functional sculpture, was inspired by a cross section of railway tracks and aims to capture the essence of life’s journey. It was exhibited at Decorex London, Paris Design Week, the Decorative Arts Museum in Berlin, the Design Museum in London, London Design Week, Alcova at Milan Design Week.
Undoubtedly, Porte’s inspiration stems from her travels and her exotic roots. Her designs tell a story using clean lines and natural, often raw materials that age beautifully. She likes to mix different elements to add contrast and create a balance of styles, between male and female, traditional and contemporary, rustic and luxurious.