Description
What if a car could become a work of art, a travelling cabinet of curiosities, and an invitation to imagine differently?
In this English episode, Élise Blouet-Ménard introduces Astre Mobile, the first Manifesto Work created by Maison Lacmé, a creative studio founded by Cécile and Antoine Tauvel.
Astre Mobile transforms a transparent car into a collective work bringing together art, design and French fine craftsmanship. Its transparent bodywork reveals what is usually hidden, turning the engine and chassis into part of the artwork. Around ten French craftspeople have reimagined its everyday elements through their individual savoir-faire.
The speedometer becomes a cosmic timepiece in ultramarine feather marquetry by J. Vermeulen. The upholstery evokes a miniature seascape, embroidered with shells, pearls and sequins by A. Lanoiselée. Driftwood, white onyx, porcelain, Russian leather, Urushi lacquer and gold leaf come together throughout the work.
Élise, leather conservator and one of the craftspeople involved in the project, shares the story behind the Russian leather straps she created for Astre Mobile.
Astre Mobile also explores the idea of reversibility: objects can leave the car and take on a new life. A hubcap becomes a lamp, a speedometer a clock, and the emblem a brooch.
Drawing on references ranging from space and nature to Egypt, Japan, Art Deco, Minimalism and Arte Povera, the work explores movement, time, materials and craftsmanship.
Astre Mobile will be unveiled from 9 to 27 September 2026 at the Hôtel de la Marine, Place de la Concorde, Paris, as part of Paris Design Week.
An introduction to Astre Mobile and to the craftspeople who brought this collective work to life.
More than a car transformed into a work of art, Astre Mobile invites us to look differently, notice the details, and imagine what an everyday object might become.
Photo: K. Van Campenhout
About
I’m Cécile Tauvel. After 12 years as an entrepreneur, I co-founded Maison Lacmé with my husband, Antoine Tauvel. Our ambition is to bring together design and the high level of technical expertise found in fine craftsmanship. Our first work, Astre Mobile, lays the foundations of this poetic universe in motion, celebrating the beauty of materials and craftsmanship.
This same passion for craftsmanship and transmission is at the heart of Pop in!. Since 2021, through more than 130 episodes, I have been taking listeners behind the scenes of creation, sharing portraits of craftspeople, collaborative projects and stories that invite us to see the world differently.
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Keywords: Astre Mobile, Maison Lacmé, Art Car, contemporary art, design, French craftsmanship, fine craftsmanship, decorative arts, Paris, art and design
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