Interview by Margherita Pincioni / margherita_pincioni

Among her works, we can find the most varied set-ups: from the facades of banks, to the set-up for fashion shops and even restaurants, offices and universities. The universe created by Emmanuelle Moureaux evokes new and suggestive moods, crossed by a sense of calm and infinite, sparking in our souls. 

When and how did you discover Japan? 

I discovered Japan through books when I was in high school. I read a lot of Japanese literature when I was studying architecture in France. Fascinated by the culture, I decided to learn more about Japanese cities, especially Tokyo, and Japanese culture. As research theme for my architectural diploma, I chose the theme “a multifunction building in Tokyo”. For this opportunity, I visit Tokyo in 1995. I stayed only one week but this trip was a turning point for me. 

When I got off the train and saw the cityscape of Tokyo for the first time, it was as if I saw colors for the first time. Thousands of colors seem floating in the cityscape, as layers, as three-dimensional elements. It was so beautiful, I felt a lot of emotions that in the first 2 hours I was in Tokyo, I decided to move there.

What do you think of contemporary Japanese architecture? They don't use color in their works, they are always very monochromatic, why is that? 

There are many reasons, like for example the Japanese aesthetic philosophy, but I think the main reason is that a lot of architects and designers in the world are ‘afraid’ by color. It is easy to use color on a sheet of paper but you need courage to use color in building scale or city scale. It is not easy.

Often color, especially in the West, is used only as a secondary element at the end of the design process, but you use it as a main and even structural element. The concept of 'shikiri' is part of an ancient Japanese tradition, you made it yours, using it in a contemporary way, can you explain what it is? 

In Japanese, ‘shikiri’ means ‘partition’. In traditional architecture, partitions such as sliding paper screens were used to divide spaces according to the function or the climate. These beautiful screens were disappearing from Japan, replaced by occidental walls or doors. 

In response to the unforgettable experiences of colors and layers I feel in the cityscape of Tokyo, I came up with my design concept of ‘shikiri’, which means dividing (creating) space with colors. ‘Shikiri’ is an invented name I write with the kanji of “color” but keeping the same pronunciation as the original Japanese word.

Usually in architecture or interior design, color is often considered as a minor element, a two-dimensional element, a finishing touch applied on surfaces and decided at the end of the design process. For example, deciding the color of walls, flooring… Inspired by the colors and layers I feel in Tokyo, I use colors as three-dimensional elements, like layers, in order to create spaces – not as a finishing touch applied on surfaces.

I want to give emotion through colors, as I felt when I saw the colors of Tokyo. 

How do you proceed with your work? What is the design process like, do you start with an idea, an inspiration? 

When I start a project, I first decide the number of colors I will use. At the same time I study the concept by writing and sketching. When the concept is decided, we create in my studio a lot of real scales models to feel the design with all senses and to study the best dimensions of each part. Then, we make drawings for production. For my installations, everything is made by hand and is prepared prior to the set up. It means a huge time and the participation of a lot of people.

Do you draw freehand or only through computer visualizations? 

Both. Mainly real scale mock-ups and practical models. We use computer visualizations for my “100 colors” installations (which use tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands modules) to verify if the sizes I have decided through real mock-ups fit well in the space.

For colors, I do not use digital technology. All the colors I use are “real” colors, not colors seen through a monitor. I have thousands and thousands of colors in my studio. I find my colors everywhere. It might be a beautiful blue in a page of a magazine that I will give to the paint or dye factory. It is important for me to “collect” as many colors as possible.

Paper and its floating: the reference to nature is evident, does it inspire you a lot? And how do you live it? 

Material itself is not important for me. Only colors matter. The absolute condition in the choice of material is to be able to obtain the beauty of colors I want, by painting, dyeing and so on.  For my installation series “100 colors” which forms space using 100 shades of colors, visible in one glance, I use my own 100 colors paper or 100 colors fabrics, specially dyed in 100 shades of colors. 

Paper is a material used in the Japanese sliding screens ‘shikiri’. Also it is light, floating, refers to the nature. That is the reason I chose paper for my first “100 colors” installation in 2013 and for most of my installations.

Your colored structures seem alive and three-dimensional, how do you make them? What techniques do you use? 

My installations are based on my concept of ‘shikiri’, they are composed of tens or hundreds thousands of modules (=colors) perfectly aligned in three-dimensional grids creating an infinity of layers of colors. In an ultra-digital world, my installations are ultra-analogue, using very simple material (paper), everything made by hand.  It is at the same time very simple and very complex. Very calm in the appearance with a strong meaning inside. It is very very very difficult, and also it requests a huge time to create my installations. The making and production techniques are secret.

In the "Universe of Words" installation you made the same visitors interact, can you tell us about it? 

“Universe of Words” was created for the 100th year anniversary of the beloved Japanese drink “CALPIS”, coinciding to the Japanese star festival Tanabata. On Tanabata day (July 7th), Japanese people write their hopes and dreams on colored pieces of paper and hang them on a bamboo branch in hopes that their wishes will come true. I reimagined this tradition by extracting the sense of Tanabata onto the floating words. I selected the simplest written alphabet children first learn “hiragana”, composed of 46 different characters. The installation was composed of approximately 140,000 hiraganas, regularly aligned in three dimensional grids. Visitors could walk in paths that cut through the installation. Walking through the countless numbers of hiraganas, words gradually come to mind…As part of my "100 colors" installation series, the layers of hiraganas were colored in 100 shades of colors, creating a colorful Universe of Words.

About my 100 colors installation series: “100 colors” is an installation series began in 2013, which forms space using 100 shades of colors, visible in one glance. You never have the opportunity to see in one space at the same time 100 colors. Also, 100 is a familiar number (100%, 100 points etc...). I chose the most beautiful (for me) 100 shades of colors to create my own personal 100 colors palette. I wish to give emotions through colors as I felt from seeing overflowing "colors" in Tokyo when I first visited in 1995. I also wish to give opportunities for people to see, and feel colors with their senses to become more conscious of colors that exist around them. In "100 colors", Colors are explored in various forms depending on the environment, to maximize the beauty of colors. 100 colors entering the body with a glance triggers a physical response to engage with the sensation of colors.

You worked for Issey Miyake, how did you meet, what was it like collaborating with him? 

I worked for him the first time in 2010, creating the installation “sticks”. Issey Miyake is always challenging new concepts, new techniques.  I love the way he treats clothes as a piece of architecture in a three-dimensional way. It is always a pleasure and a lot of stimulation to work with the ISSEY MIYAKE team.

"Slices of Time" is a very poetic project: 168,000 small numbers hanging in space, like a representation of the floating Earth. A very interesting topic, what is it about? 

“Slices of Time” expresses the flow of time. Composed of 100 layers of numbers in 100 shades of colors and 20 layers of numbers in white, the installation visualizes the next 100 years to come (2020 to 2119) and the past 20 years (2000 to 2019) represented in white.

When you see the installation from a far distance, you see colors floating in the gallery as an abstract representation of the floating earth, but if you go closer, you realize that the installation is composed of very small numbers, writing a specific year in each layer. I was inspired by the very special location of NOW Gallery on the Greenwich Peninsula, near to the Meridian marking time and by its name NOW. “NOW” is always changing. The shape of the installation, as slices of earth, as slices of time, offers a moment to think about ourselves. 

There's a great sensitivity in your projects, it is a characteristic that should be cultivated from an early age, how was it, therefore, to create a kindergarten? A great challenge? 

Although people can see millions of colors, people are living among the limited classification of colors, such as yellow, orange, pink, red, green, blue, and so on. This situation is clear when people are asked to choose their favorite color, as they tend to name one of the 7 colors from the rainbow.  

In the kindergartens I designed, as well as for my “100 colors” installations and all my projects, I use a lot of colors, a multicolor palette. I hope persons and children will feel colors with all their senses, will remember the feeling and emotion of being in a colorful world, and be more conscious of colors around us in everyday life. 

You are an associate professor at Tohoku University of Art and Design since 2008, what advice do you give your students for their future? 

Trust only your eyes and feelings. Do not only look but feel with your entire body. And of course, don’t be afraid to use colors.

The laboratory you have created explores the possibilities of color through a project called "100 colors lab", what do you ask the students to do? 

I ask my students to create 100 colors palette of an item from their everyday life, such as glasses, bubble foam, rice, umbrella, watches, CD, chocolate block and so on. Through the laboratory started in 2008, I want to give emotion through colors, and also give opportunities for students to be conscious of colors, by seeing, touching and feeling 100 colors with their entire senses. 

In your works you give unpredictable atmospheres and "force" visitors to find time to stop and get excited, are you happy with its effect? 

Thank you. 

For me, Color is a medium to create space and emotion. With colors, I try to give emotions to people. Color can make people smile, give energy, joy, and most importantly they make people happy.

Have you ever asked the users of your works what they feel when they immerse themselves in your colors? 

I do not ask but when I start a new installation, I am always hiding in a corner and look at the visitors. They usually naturally stop and smile when they enter the space and see the colors. I am very happy with that.

When I unveiled my first “100 colors” installation in 2013, when my team and me finished the set up and entered the space, it was so emotional to breathe and immerse in 100 shades of colors, to see colors, touch colors, and feel colors with our entire body. The installation was planned to be unique but it was so emotional that I decided to continue the “100 colors” project and to exhibit in different cities in the world in order a lot of people can experiment and feel “100 colors”.

Since 2011, on behalf of the New Taipei City Government of Taiwan, you have been involved in the artistic design of the "Circular Line" of Mass Rapid Transit, what is your job? 

The Circular Line is a subway system, total length of 34.8 kilometers, in which its 15.4 kilometers are above ground facilities. The project focuses on this 15.4 kilometers zone, where there is a close relationship with the people in the city.

I was commissioned in 2011 by the New Taipei City Government, the Department of Rapid Transit Systems to realize the Artistic Design of the Circular Line in order the whole Circular Line to be a public art piece. It is a huge project, I designed the color scheme of elevated steel columns (about 212 columns), steel beams (about 8 km including two bridges), sound barriers (about 10 km) and drainage pipes, platform screen doors design (13 stations), exterior elevation colors (3 stations), staircase wall colors (4 stations), as well as train exterior design (5 trains) and interior design (17 trains).

What is it like to live in Japan today? Do tradition and modernity coexist in harmony? 

Cities in Japan are in perpetual evolution, always changing. It means that the architecture reflects the current fashion, lifestyles, technologies, the architecture evolves at the same time as people. At the same time, tradition is everywhere, in the culture, at a corner of a street.

For me, life in Tokyo is colorful. The multitude of layers of colors I feel in the city gives me inspiration, joy and energy.

Do you have an anecdote about your work to tell us? 

I always work with color (creating colors, selecting colors, checking color samples etc.) in my studio on the same white table near the windows on a sunny day. If it rains or if the weather is not enough clear, I don’t work with colors this day. If I have to check a lot of samples during the rainy season in Tokyo, it takes more time than usually.

Where do you eat your favorite french fries?

At home.