Christofle Unveils Perspectives Collection By Mathias Kiss

Christofle’s New Collection: Classic Moldings Reimagined by Mathias Kiss

For Christofle, Mathias Kiss dissects, recomposes – and liberates – the elements of a molding to create sculptural candleholders, a vase, and candelabras. Revisiting a vocabulary of classical forms, he designs unique decorative objects, slightly surreal and full of character, yet rigorously structured.

Traditionally, moldings play a role in modulating light; the sharp shadows cast by square edges are balanced by the reflective curves of profiles known as “doucines.” True to his mastery of decorative motifs, Mathias Kiss imagines a new functionality for ornamentation with its alternating projections and recesses. Transforming wall moldings into sculptural candleholders and candelabras, he breaks, reshapes, and rethinks their continuous lines. For Christofle, he envisions a collection of ultra-contemporary candleholders and chandeliers, rooted in classic design.

Since its founding by Charles Christofle in 1830, the Maison has sought out the talents of its era – working with architect Gio Ponti after World War II on silverware pieces, and Andrée Putman on jewelry at the turn of the millennium. Through experience, Christofle understands that creators instinctively translate the evolving lifestyles and aesthetics of their time into objects. Comprising six pieces that can be freely combined, Mathias Kiss’s Perspectives collection invites dynamic, modern table settings. Sold separately, the elements can also stand alone: the candelabra can grace a mantelpiece, small candleholders enliven a coffee table or a shelf. The possibilities are endless, encouraging everyone to interpret the Perspectives collection according to their desires, needs, and creativity. A versatile proposal, a cohesive ensemble.

MATHIAS KISS AN ARTIST WHO BREAKS THE MOLD

Artist? Craftsman? Contemporary art artisan? Perhaps all of these, and much more. It’s difficult to label Mathias Kiss’s practice as it is uniquely his own, rooted in his personal journey. Directed as a teenager toward a vocational certificate in painting and glazing, the young man later apprenticed with the Compagnons du Devoir, where he trained in restoration crafts. He excelled in decorative painting, gilding, and other ornamental techniques. While the grand tradition of French classicism and exceptional craftsmanship has always fascinated and inspired Mathias Kiss, he felt a vital urge to break free from convention, to shatter the codes and infuse his practice with the energy of the present. Starting in 2005, he began creating deconstructed cornices elevated into sculptures, architectural shattered mirrors, and pixelated skies. His creations met with immediate success. Quickly, Mathias Kiss pivoted toward designing
minimalist installations with playful pop elements. These works opened the doors of the Palais de Tokyo, where he exhibited in 2016, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, in 2019. His eclectic output – ranging from objects and furniture to paintings – reinterprets a decorative vocabulary, elevating it to the status of art.

Collaborating with a creator allows for disruption, fostering reinvention. The technical and aesthetic singularity of the Perspectives collection by Matthias Kiss challenged Christofle’s manufacturing processes and prompted an exploration of new materials. The sculptural approach of his designs proved difficult to execute in silver and silver-plated metal, the traditional mediums of the Parisian silversmith. Consequently, Christofle’s research and development team turned to aluminum for its lightweight and high mechanical strength – ideal for the delicate profiles of the candleholders and candelabras. While smaller models are cast, the large, fractal designs are assembled using a mortise-and-tenon technique borrowed from woodworking – an expertise of Matthias Kiss which is an integral part of his practice. The brilliant finish, a hallmark of Christofle’s style, is achieved through a PVD coating – a vacuum-applied film that is smooth, oxidation-resistant, and heat-resistant.

INNOVATIVE PIECES MERGING CRAFTSMANSHIP AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Another technical achievement is the faceted glass vase, composed of twelve translucent facets of varying sizes and thicknesses. These are assembled using UV-cured adhesive, which fuses the pieces under ultraviolet light. Each vase is then manually polished on all its facets, a process requiring two and a half hours. The container undergoes fine abrasion to achieve a soft, luminous glaze over four additional hours. The vase fits into its removable aluminum base, an assembly in two parts that facilitates emptying and cleaning. This exceptional object elevates everyday life.

●A small single candleholder, like a frieze, 4.5 cm high

● A C-shaped candleholder, resembling a frieze, 10.5 cm high.
● A serpentine frieze candleholder for two candles, 18 cm high.
● A three-light candelabra, with a continuous molding design, 28.5 cm high.
● A faceted glass vase on an aluminum base, 28.5 cm high.
● A Collector’s Edition five-light candelabra, limited to 50 numbered pieces.

A VERSATILE COLLECTION
The Perspectives collection by Mathias Kiss offers a diverse range of items,from exceptional silverware pieces to smaller objects, priced between $275 and $9,500. The elements can be modularly arranged to create dynamic and graphic compositions.