Art studio & Bespoke artwork

The process of artisan-crafted enhancements makes a printed work of art unique through an artistic gesture using various materials such as paint, gold leaf, textile paint, inks and even, sometimes, spices. This concept was introduced and supported to add a handmade touch, bringing originality and exclusivity to the work Muzéo produces. 

The enhancement can take a variety of forms, from a simple acrylic texture added to breathe more movement and life into a print, to a more elaborate and experimental approach. This initiative aimed to bring more depth and artistic value to the artwork Muzéo was creating. 

The usual approach involves starting with an artwork or digital creation created by a Muzéo artist, then enhancing it through the application of paint such as a hand-painted floral design, gold leaf enhancement, and dabs of neon paint, or the addition of pure pigments to give the artwork more strength.

Although the enhanced artworks represent original creations, they deliberately bear no signature, symbolising the collaborative work within the Muzéo creative team and its various authors. From pre-concept to concept to the actual creation of the artworks, the works are often shared within the team and the various Muzéo artists and culminate in a final result that is the fruit of collaboration.

Muzéo has a number of artists working in its studios, enabling the creation of customised works for different projects. The art consultants (anchor text) try to strike a balance between original works that have their own purpose and do not exist for the project and works created within Muzéo that are specially designed for the venue or the history of the concept. The in-house artist must therefore be very versatile, given the different projects (hotels, tertiary, luxury, etc.), but must not impose his own personality and must adapt his technique to the different concepts conceived by Muzéo. This in-house approach allows Muzéo to produce a variety of works without being restricted by the aesthetic of a particular artist. This artistic flexibility allows Muzéo to respond more nimbly to the varied demands of its customers. 

In addition, with time and experience, Muzéo has built up a vast library of elements. This rich bank of pre-existing elements is an immediate source of inspiration and resources, making it possible not only to optimise the creative process, but also to be original and offer works that will not be found anywhere else. 

This strategic approach puts Muzéo in an advantageous position to respond efficiently and creatively to market imperatives, while preserving the flexibility that is essential in the realisation of artistic projects.

'My two favourite projects were the SO/ Morland hotel in Paris and the artwork for the Route du Rhum (in Saint-Malo). 

The following project illustrates the limitlessness of creating in-house work. Each decorative element has been uniquely designed and assembled for the hotel's public. 

The SO is a masterpiece and the staging of the packaged works refers to the artist's studio, where the mystery of creation is cultivated and the object mystified. The idea here was to take the experience one step further, by offering hotel guests an immersive journey that would challenge their curiosity.

Here are a few examples of the type of work we created for this particular project:

1. Two pedestals wrapped in thick unbleached fabric and tied with jute string. In the first installation, a pile of white papers is topped by a black ceramic vase filled with printed, neutral fabrics.

2. For the second installation, a stack of white books is topped by a black ceramic vase filled with brushes used by the artist in the SO studio.

3. A group of 3 unprinted paintings in different formats, placed against the wall of the entrance hall. The large frame was placed at the back to leave the wooden structure visible, while the other two were placed at the front.

All these elements helped to create the atmosphere of an artist's studio, as if the SO audience were walking through a studio, without the artist being aware of it. 

Pillowcases hand-painted and illustrated with Parisian locks; a bar stool hand-painted and tagged with graffiti; a sculpture made of Parisian Eiffel Tower key rings; used paint cans hand-painted and tagged with graffiti; an installation featuring a bag wrapped in a car wheel; a red shoe stuck in a manhole, playing on the idea of life on the streets; a hand-painted blanket; a hand-painted leather jacket tagged with graffiti; a pile of painted books as a support for a bell. The idea here was to subvert the traditional hotel ambience to create a unique atmosphere through the prism of art, and a complete art installation that provided an immersive experience for hotel guests. 

The second project that particularly excited me was the stand at a trade fair in Saint-Malo this year. Our team worked passionately to create a distinctive and original work of art, based on a simple, geometric and poetic composition. This unique piece featured deep, solid colours and an evocative architectural motif: an arch evoking an opening that symbolises the call to travel. 

Indeed, Saint-Malo is renowned for its rich trading history linked to spices, so we decided to enhance this simple composition by incorporating real spices. This sensory touch aims to immerse the viewer not only visually, but also olfistically. By combining the visual aspect of the work with the olfactory experience of the spices, the Muzéo creative team sought to create a deeper, more engaging connection, inviting the audience to explore the piece in a multi-sensory way. In this way, our creation becomes an immersive artistic experience, where each element contributes to evoking the history and essence of Saint-Malo while stimulating the senses of those who contemplate it.'