Pierre Charpin

Designer and visual artist Pierre Charpin was born in 1962 and graduated from the École des Beaux-Arts in Bourges in 1984. Since the early 1990s, he has devoted himself to designing objects and furniture. He has also carried out research projects, such as with CIRVA (1998/2001) and CRAFT (2003/2005), as well as design projects for internationally renowned companies such as Alessi, Arita 16/16, Ceramiche Piemme,  Design Gallery Milano, Hay, Hermès, Japan Creative, Ligne Roset/Cinna, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Post Design, Tayou& co, The Wrong Shop, Tectona, and Venini.

In 2012, Pierre Charpin was selected by the French Institute in Japan for a residency as part of the Villa Kujoyama program in Kyoto. He has received numerous awards for his work, notably in 2017, when he was named “Designer of the Year” at the Maison & Objet trade fair in Paris.

His work is characterized by its simplicity, elegance, and functionality. He often uses traditional materials in innovative ways, and his designs are frequently inspired by nature.

Pierre Charpin is considered one of the most important designers of his generation.

Several monographic exhibitions have been devoted to him: Pierre Charpin, 20 Years of Work at Grand-Hornu (Belgium), Villégiature at Villa Noailles as part of the Design Parade Festival, La part du dessin at L’Ecal (Switzerland), Atmosphera at SferaExhibitions Kyoto (Japan), From the studio at Designart Tokyo (Japan) and at the Kreo gallery in Paris.
Pierre Charpin's work is present in numerous cultural institutions and museums: the Fonds National d'Art Contemporain, the Centre Pompidou, the MAD Paris, and his work has been the subject of several monographs.

In parallel with his work as a designer, Pierre Charpin taught design at the Reims School of Art and Design from 1998 to 2008 and at the Lausanne University of Art and Design (ECAL) from 2006 to 2015. After spending several periods in Milan (Italy) during the 1990s, he now works in Ivry-sur-Seine and lives in Paris.

Pierre Charpin has been collaborating with the MiniMasterpiece gallery since 2018.