Bookcase or Shelves by Jacques Jarrige, 2012

Multidisciplinary French designer and sculptor Jacques Jarrige has never met a material he didn't like. From wood coffee tables to bronze table lamps and lacquer stools, Jarrige is adept at working with a range of mediums. He has also been known to craft furniture and decor in aluminum and has released a line of wool carpets. According to Valerie Goodman, who represents the artist, Jarrige "has an ongoing dialogue with whatever material he selects."

Jarrige was born in Paris in 1962 and was raised in a family of scientists and art collectors. He grew up in the neighborhood of St. Germain, which is home to several art galleries. Jarrige was particularly enamored with the power and presence of the African sculptures on display in these galleries, and this early fascination led to his enrolling in architecture classes at the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. 

However, Jarrige found the program uninspiring and left school in the 1980s to work with his hands to create his own sculptures and other objects. Looking to the works of designers like Alexandre Noll and George Nakashima, Jarrige began to explore the interplay of art and design. Even though he has been quoted as saying "design bores me when it is decorative," his work has high visual appeal. Each piece is thoughtfully shaped by hand, which usually yields organic graceful curves that are pleasing to the eye and bring charm to any interior.

In the 1990s, Jarrige started showing his work in Europe and found an eager audience. During this time, he focused mainly on creating sculptural furniture and decorative objects. In 2010, Valerie Goodman became his representative, and he began showing at the Valerie Goodman Gallery in Manhattan. Jarrige subsequently shifted his focus — he began working in abstract mode and making large-scale sculptures. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Coté Paris and The World of Interiors.

In 2022, Jarrige exhibited at the Venice Biennale and secured a commission to design a piece for the renovated Pfizer Building in Brooklyn. Jarrige also installed a large hammered aluminum Christ sculpture at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York.

On 1stDibs, find Jacques Jarrige tables, lighting, decorative objects and more.