Set among vineyards, olive groves and contemporary art installations, Château La Coste continues to cultivate its dialogue between art, architecture and landscape with an exhibition dedicated to Marc Newson, one of the leading figures in international design over the past four decades. The exhibition brings together fourteen works spanning more than forty years of practice and places them in conversation with the fluid architecture of the Auditorium designed by Oscar Niemeyer. In this setting, Newson’s work engages with the building’s sinuous lines as well as with the openness of the Provençal landscape. The objects are not simply displayed but positioned within the space as presences that activate visual and spatial relationships with their surroundings, creating a constant interplay between the domestic scale of design and the larger dimension of architecture.
Among the most emblematic works is the celebrated Lockheed Lounge, the hand-crafted riveted aluminium chaise longue that has become one of the most recognisable icons of contemporary design since the late 1980s. Its metallic surface, assembled like the fuselage of an aircraft, reflects the light and highlights the almost sculptural nature of the piece, poised between function and artwork. Outdoors, along the path leading to the pavilion, visitors encounter Electra, a monumental six-metre-high sculpture conceived more than thirty years ago and presented to the public here for the first time. Positioned along the entrance road to the site, the work introduces visitors to the exhibition with a striking presence, almost like a landmark within the landscape.
From the outset of his career, Newson has developed a design approach that moves across disciplines, ranging from furniture and objects to projects connected with transportation and engineering. What unites these different experiences is a constant focus on the relationship between form, material and production process. The works brought together at Château La Coste illustrate this aspect of his research. Some seating pieces feature intricate cloisonné enamel decorations – an ancient decorative technique rarely applied on such a scale. In other works, marble and rare stones are carved from a single block to produce soft, flowing forms that seem to challenge the weight and rigidity of the material itself.
Behind these results often lie long and complex processes. Over the years, Newson has travelled widely in search of specialised craftsmanship, collaborating with workshops and experts to push traditional techniques beyond their usual limits. The production process thus becomes an integral part of the project, shaping the identity of the object as much as the initial idea. Within the landscape of Château La Coste, the exhibition ultimately offers a layered portrait of Newson’s practice: not simply a sequence of iconic pieces, but a body of work in which technical experimentation, design culture and formal sensitivity remain closely intertwined.
