Design in the collections

Since then, the Centre national des arts plastiques (Cnap) has deposited numerous emblematic pieces from the 1980s, by designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Olivier Gagnère and Sylvain Dubuisson.

With the arrival of Constance Rubini in 2013, the museum changed its name to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design, affirming its ambition to become a key exhibition space for contemporary creation.

The museum has developed trans-chronological acquisitions around functional or social themes: vases and tableware. These themes provide a means of understanding and promoting the discipline and allow for a stimulating dialogue with the decorative arts collections.

The design collection also has a forward-looking dimension. Young designers have entered the collections, such as Felipe Ribon with the Permutation mirror (2015), Fabien Cappello with a lamp from the Bright Raysi collection (2015), and Jean-Baptiste Fastrez with the Scarabée vase (2014).

Acquisitions of pieces from the 1980s have continued, making the collection a reference for the study of the period. The collection has been enriched by historical pieces such as Andrea Branzi's Bar Milano (1979), Ron Arad's Well Tempered armchair (1987), Dan Friedman's Virgin screen (1987) and Elisabeth Garouste and Mattia Bonetti's Rocher table (1982), which was acquired through the generosity of Didier and Clémence Krzentowski. The research work carried out by the museum on this period has revealed the importance of lesser-known personalities such as the designer Daniel Weil and publishers such as the German publisher Anthologie Quartett.

The collection is also being expanded through donations and deposits, such as those of the designer Martin Szekely who, following the monographic exhibition dedicated to his work in 2018, entrusted the madd-bordeaux with more than thirty pieces, illustrating his approach to design since the 1980s.