Erwan Boulloud returns to Twenty First with Touching Time, his first one-man show in the United States since 2019. It brings together 15 new and recent creations, which further refine, explore and develop concepts and motifs that have become an intrinsic part of his body of work.

Boulloud’s inspirations are vast and various. They range from the infinitely small to the infinitely large, from obscure botanical species to medieval jewelry. Like a modern-day alchemist, he transforms and mutates each into exquisitely crafted objects that are audacious, ingenious and precious. They spark curiosity and wonder, and have rich and captivating stories to tell.

He considers each object as a “molecule of a larger entity” and affirms there is Darwinian logic to his output. “For each of my furniture lines, I can establish a sort of family tree,” says Boulloud. “A ‘source’ piece generates different branches of creation.”

At the heart of his work is a deep-rooted interest in science. It often references the passage of time, whether it be the ephemeral or eternal, and traces of the past. He also avows a fascination for astronomical phenomena, such as the origins of creation and the expansion of the universe.