Ingrid Donat Imprints Personal History in Solo Exhibition ‘Ancestral’
The exhibition is on view until February 14, 2025, at the Carpenters Workshop Gallery.
Image Courtesy of Ingrid Donat
Throughout her decades-long career, Ingrid Donat has developed a singular visual style that blends the recognizable aesthetics of Art Nouveau and Art Deco with refined contemporary textures and forms. Currently on view until February 14, 2025, Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents Ancestral, a solo exhibition showcasing two of Donat’s most recent masterpieces, Commode Ooni and Commode Maya. These functional objects are marked with her signature scarification by enriching the surfaces with textures and patterns that imprint her multifaceted cultural heritage through the process of wax casting.
Each of these commodes is a sculpted rumination on the anthropomorphic qualities inherent in objects formed by the human hand that lives with us, in turn shaping our lives. Donat has collaborated with Carpenters Workshop Gallery for over 15 years, cementing her status as a leading figure in the design world. On the occasion of this exhibition, I reached out to Donat to inquire about the inspiration behind these new works.
Can you tell me about the title of this latest commode aux engrenages and why it is named Commode Ooni?
Ooni (meaning The King) is a tribute to ancient African tribal masks and the cultural practice of scarification, which has always influenced me. These influences are linked to my personal relationship with Réunion Island, where my father is from, and its history that is deeply mixed with African, Indian, and Southeast Asian cultures. The bronze Commode Ooni is entirely sculpted with repetitive vertical lines, engulfing the piece from front to back, inside and out, warping its silhouette. Inside the drawers, this pattern continues with the embossed leather, and finally, when you open it, the mechanism activates a series of 6 “engrenages.”
Image Courtesy of Ingrid Donat
While crafting the collection of objects for Commode Ooni, were there any specific objects you were looking at for inspiration?
A lot of my work is inspired by the art and traditions of tribal cultures that I’ve investigated throughout my career and encountered through my own cultural background. This blend has made me interested in exploring anthropological, historical, and personal meanings through my works.
What led you back to pattering the objects you create with rhythmic lines? Additionally, why did you choose to adorn the otherwise unseen surfaces with repetitive line patterns?
This mark-making aesthetic is inspired by cultures that use scarification as a form of cultural storytelling, leaving intricate, repetitive patterns imprinted onto the body. For Commode Ooni, I began by sculpting the shape of the commode in wax using special tools I created myself. Commode Ooni was a real challenge to complete due to its rounded shape and the repetitive lines. I wanted the lines to be aligned as they moved from the exterior to the interior, which required meticulous detail. The gear mechanisms added another challenge, as these also had to be in perfect alignment in order for them to work properly.
Did you envision a particular space for your design to live while making these pieces?
My works can live in a variety of spaces. They are functional design pieces as well as artworks, but more than anything, they have a strong human quality. Commode Ooni, for example, was something I had been wanting to do for a long time. The Ancestral exhibition felt like the perfect opportunity to start the Commode Ooni. For this piece, I was inspired by the curves of the female body—as seen in the features rounded edges of the work. Many of my artworks are influenced by living organisms and the natural world. Therefore, I think they exude warmth and vitality for a wide range of users who might experience them in various different spaces and contexts.
The line work on each of the objects, both structurally and texturally, reminds me of the intricate process of weaving. Do you look at textile patterns when determining the surface decoration of your work?
Yes, textiles have been an important part of my career, alongside the use of materials like bronze and wood. Over twenty years ago, I started painting textiles with uneven, abstract patterns and using them for pillows and upholstery. For each of my artworks, I custom-designed the fabric. For Fauteuil Kapon, I designed fabric featuring delicate gold lines running vertically along the cushions.
