Studio KO
The Object of Affection
From their Paris office, Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, founding architects of Studio KO, introduce L’Oeil de KO [The Eye of KO], a curated archive of bespoke objects that reflects their personal philosophies and engagement with craftspeople.
Behind a decorative wrought iron gate, inside a 19th century building surrounding a courtyard, the Paris office of Studio KO is a hive of elegant activity. From the grand entrance hall, a curved wooden staircase sweeps up to Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty’s serene and comfortable first floor office. Another route leads to the archive room of L’Oeil de KO, where one might meet Nathalie Guihaumé, creative director of ‘The Eye’. Walls of shelving and a large central table host a series of curious and exquisite objects, revealing the ‘behind the scenes’ of the online gallery, a place of craft and discovery that expresses the essence of a KO atmosphere. We sat down with Karl and Olivier to discuss the origins of L’Oeil de KO, personal relationships to objects and how craft transcends scales across their work…
What draws you to an object, even if you don't know its context or history?
Karl Fournier (KF):
That’s really the reason for the name L’Oeil de KO. The first thing is the connection with the eye – sometimes with the artist or artisan behind the object, sometimes with the object itself – but it’s really a question of connection. And that’s why Nathalie was a natural partner to join L’Oeil, because we share the same taste.
But to be more specific, it’s a question of love. Sometimes it’s difficult to say why. An object might remind me of childhood or something from my parents’ house – they were really into crafted objects, brought back from trips all over the world. But it’s difficult to say exactly. For example, this terracotta mask I bought, it’s not for L’Oeil. I can’t sell it. I love it too much, so I keep it here. It reminds me so many things, I have this feeling that it talks to me and that means there is a connection.
For the L’Oeil de KO, objects are bespoke. We discuss them with the craftspeople, what we have in mind, their experiments and directions – it’s a conversation. At the beginning, I had so many objects in storage all around Paris – I took a few items from the storage to start the gallery, but I’m really a bad seller. I love keeping things, even if it’s in storage.
Olivier Marty (OM):
I don’t have as strong a relationship with objects as Karl. I'd like to think that there’s nothing I could not lose. There are a few objects that come from my family that I have an attachment to, but I like very simple things that have a clever expression of use, like the perfect vase or tableware. One glass vase I like comes, I think, from my great grandparents, who used to be scientists. Another is a gigantic white salad bowl that looks like a huge shell. It’s a bit freaky, and of course, whatever’s inside it has to be and taste beautiful.
Generally, objects I particularly love are related to someone – there’s a transparent table vitrine that Karl designed, it looks very strong wherever you put it. Or it could be things from generations before, where there’s heritage – a chopping board I remember using as a child that looks like the shape of Corsica. Things that are naive yet have beauty in proportion. A tiny set of glasses from my Jewish great-grandparents from Russia or brooches from my family on the other side with rustic cut diamonds that are full of flaws.
