Benoît Maire: The Neko Collection

Benoît Maire presents his debut exhibition at Valerie Goodman Gallery, a five piece capsule collection of hand-fabricated furniture and sculptural works: a lounge chair, coffee table, side table, stool, and chimes. The collection was sparked by a visit to the Kyoto studio of legendary potter Kanjiro Kawai, where Maire observed a cat (Neko in Japanese) moving freely through the workshop, inhabiting space with quiet intelligence. Executed primarily in aluminum, the works reflect Maire's interest in economy of means, standard materials, and ecological awareness. Pieces are cut from single sheets of metal, with negative spaces repurposed into complementary elements such as chimes and sculptural accents. Ceramic components made using the traditional Japanese raku technique, along with leather cushions and tassel details, introduce warmth and tactility to the industrial surfaces. Maire, a 48-year-old French designer, approaches furniture not simply as functional form but as a proposition shaped by observation and lived experience. "I wanted to design furniture that doesn't aim to please through plush comfort," Maire explains, "but through an active, invigorating comfort, something that invites movement, attention, and presence." Gallery founder Valerie Goodman notes that Maire's work exists at the intersection of art and living. Maire has exhibited internationally and created installations for the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Villa Medici in Rome, the New National Museum of Monaco, as well as brands such as Hermès.