Inspired by the memory of her grandmother’s tapestries, Frederique Morrel has created a new world out of tapestry with a contemporary spin. She uses vintage fabrics – particularly tapestries – to create her one of a kind products. She, along with her husband, and sometimes with the help of the trusty Maggie and Goddard, the Jack Russels, have now exhibited around the world.
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
Based out of Paris, the company is comprised of Frederique Morrel (who is a native Parisienne) and her husband, Aaron Levin (originally of Topeka, Kansas) who met at a conceptual art exhibition in Paris in the 1980′s.
The images of the Passe-Murrailes collection I am showing below may bear a strong resemblance to hunting trophies, but their creators insist that they are living creatures that are like friends of the family who have unexpectedly poked their heads through the wall to deliver their personal stories to us.
Made from polyurethane taxidermy molds, covered in the vintage needlework and finished with real antlers, each piece is unique and made by hand. Imagine having one of these poking their heads out over the breakfast table… I quite like their kitsche-yet-quirky nature!
Mixed Media: foam, fur, horns, tapestries
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
Mixed Media: foam, fur, tapestries
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
Mixed Media: foam, fur, antlers, tapestries
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
Mixed Media: foam, fur, tapestries
(Image sourced from Frederique Morrel)
The Frederique Morrel team are animal lovers. According to their website, “We occasionally speak to animals in their own language”. As I sometimes feel that I speak ‘Poodle’, this resonates with me!
Frederique Morrel’s work also includes life-size deer sculptures, a series of life-size human sculptures, not to mention poufs, cushions, footstools, lamps, trays and other accessories! Go and check out their fabulous website here.
Those Jack Russels are so cute! And I love the deer sticking out his tongue!
I think that’s why I love this work so much – the sense of humour that comes through. Brilliant, I reckon’!
Hi,
I don’t like the clothes, but the rest of the art is very nice. 🙂
Ahh Mags – I do appreciate your candour! 🙂 I think the clothes are a bit ‘tongue in cheek’, but I agree they are a little OTT!
Fantastic! That family photo is the scariest image I’ve seen for a long time…am sure it will stay with me all day, TSL! 🙂
Isn’t it great? I wonder what bribery went into having the boys pose with them? 🙂
Where do you find this stuff….???? I love the reindeer heads i think they would look amazing… although I have to say that the family matching outfits are a bit scary, thank god for them that they did not have to go to my school as they would have copped it! 😉
Can you imagine going to school in Australia dressed like that? I don’t think I could be that cruel… 🙂
The Princess has seen those tapestry coats and is now boring on and on about fashion and on how she wants to guest post!
I am a simple Tibbie who likes simple coats (I prefer no coats at all to be honest), but I can admire the skill and I am also very, very sure that Beloved’s sons could never have a bribe large enough to pose in those outfits, fantastic though they are 🙂
Guest posting… now, there’s an idea Zac! I think we should consider this further…:-)
You speak ‘poodle’? 🙂 This post is out of this world. Something out of the Renaissance.
I do (but don’t tell everybody!)
Isn’t it fab’?
Wow, I love the reindeer heads – how do people come up with these ideas?? An amazing use of tapestry – gets you thinking as to what else you could use tapestry for… It just shows you how many creative folks there are out there in this mass manufactured world.
Inspiring, isn’t it Cettina? Who knows what we might come up with if we really tried…?!?!?!
Gorgeous. I was recently given a vintage tapestry pear from Calico & Ivy in Balmain – so cute.
Hi Harriet – I’m starting a crochet course at Calico & Ivy on Wednesday. I love that they stock Sophie Digard, but I just want to eat everything up when I walk in there. It’s lovely! 🙂 Small world!
Aah, lovely – very jealous. Tempted to learn to crochet but think I better stick to quilting and finish all my half-finished quilts that are piling up! Might see you in there one day?!
Mmm – just because I am taking a small crochet course doesn’t mean I don’t have unfinished quilts! 🙂
The only thing I have categorically given up on is knitting.
We stock Frederique Morrel pieces in our shop in Melbourne and have just come back from a visit to Frederique and Aaron’s Paris apartment. Each piece is incredible, unique and very very beautiful
…AND John Derian AND Abigail Ahern – that’s the trifector right there. Thanks so much for the heads up, Jenny – I’ll come and say hi next time I’m in Melbourne.
That would be great…and I’m now an avid reader of This Sydney Life, nice job!