A symbolic object, the electric guitar no longer represents the spirit of youth and rebellion that it once embodied. An instrument, an industrial product, a stage tool, it remains a key player in the writing and dissemination of popular music. By making guitars with amusing shapes and deliberately limited uses, Jacques Averna emphasizes their performative and communicative nature. Sometimes ironic, sometimes limiting in their playability, each piece questions the place of the object: how can an instrument become both an obstacle and a partner, an accessory and a centerpiece? The guitars on display will come to life on the evening of the opening during a concert by the band.
Jacques Averna
Jacques Averna is a designer, teacher, and musician, trained in industrial design at ENSCI Les Ateliers. He designs objects as varied as musical instruments, vases, and signs, exploring their uses, forms, and materials. His work engages with cultural contexts and techniques, transporting codes from one domain to another. He received the Grand Prix Design Parade at the Villa Noailles and his work is presented at the Mobilier National, the CNAP, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Saint-Étienne. He teaches object design at EnsAD.