Oscar Humphries X Galerie Chenel

1 June 2020 - 14 June 2020

VISIT SHOP

I first collaborated with Galerie Chenel in 2018 on a project called ‘Origins: Design from the Ancient World’. Together we showed ancient Roman design and architectural elements at Design Miami/ Basel. I hugely respected their knowledge and eye, and we shared a desire to present antiquities in a new way – looking at the proto-modernism that is in many ancient objects and celebrating the immortality and enduring influence of Greco-Roman culture, seen through the objects they left behind. I was looking forward to another collaboration with them.  

My second ever online project seeks to share Galerie Chenel’s unique eye for beautiful antiquities, in the hope that it will inspire others as it has me. I think great dealers have a lot to give us in terms of taste and knowledge and I wanted to give a platform to bring what they do with a new audience. Galerie Chenel is a family business - which I love. But they’re also experts which, of course, is essential when buying antiquities. 

Over the next two weeks this new collaboration showcases works of art that we have selected together. Hopefully these works and their stories will excite and intrigue. All of the photographs we are using were taken by Adrien Chenel – who shows us how we might live with ancient things in a modern way, much like the Chenel family does themselves.

“The idea that our pieces go into their collections is rather magical. When that happens each item is endowed with a new life and it’s history continues and is constantly enriched.” Gladys Chenel, June 2020. 

Galerie Chenel are members of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, of the IADAA (International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art), and the Union Française des Experts. They sell to major museums and private collections around the world.