NEXT @ No. 5 Butchie Alley

OPENING RECEPTION, Saturday, February 17th, 6-9 p.m.

Pierre Trombert: I Don’t Know Where I Am Going but I Know How To Get There…

Feb 17th – April 6th, 2024

To be a designer one needs to understand the consequences of a single line; I wrote on the white board. Then my eyes inadvertently moved to a point of light: the windows. The crane outside moves stuff we call it, up and down at the mercy of a helmeted operator who is speaking on a walky-talky. The operator is building that line, that’s their job whatever that line is, they do not question, their job is to build that line. Abandoned to the machines the line now exists!

At night, the crane is sleeping happy, the operator on the ground is sleeping happy, the designer is sleeping happy and contented. The line is not sleeping. She looks and stares; it all looks like merde, pardon my French she laments.

Suddenly, coming from the nowhere of that grey day, or maybe from the depth of her questioning mind, the sleeping designer senses - bathed in light - the tri-dimensional poetic movements of a Pas de deux emerging, reaching to her. Not totally aware she realizes that her fingers attached to a hand attached to an arm attached to a body attached to a soul are trying to write a sentence. Words appear falling through the tear in this cloudy day; the name, the verb, the articles and adjectives, the punctuation, the rhythm, the sounds…the expression and continuation of an idea that has to be cultivated and expressed.

Her eyes can now perceive the romantic music of a Jean Sebastian Bach or a Mozart; hesitating, hand in hand with the line she can appreciate the atonal compositions of a Pierre Boulez, rock and roll, yes!

Line and designer wide awake. Hah! Merde! We now understand the magical consequences of a single line. Excited, pencil in hand, holding on a roll of yellow tracing paper, they smile.

Excerpts from Consequence of a Line, written for my students December 2016

– Pierre Trombert

BIO

Pierre Trombert is a designer, design director, artist and mime. Born in 1940, Grenoble, France he arrived in the US just a little earlier than the Beattles’ first US Tour in 1964. He received his BFA in Interior Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1967. Then his position at H2L2 architect firm brought him to Philadelphia where he is based. He studied architecture at Drexel University.

Trombert’s vive la resistance approach has crafted a rich 50 year career designing architecture and interiors extensively throughout Philadelphia. He was Artistic Design Director of The Granary Associates, Architect and Design firm in Philadelphia for 25 years. His international and national portfolio includes NYC, Washington DC, France and Saudi Arabia to note a few.

He had a mime theater which he designed, built and directed from 1974-84 in Philadelphia. The performances hailed from Philadelphia, NYC, Baltimore to Woodstock, CT, France and more. The invitation from Isamu Noguchi to perform at his Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibit was a highlight.

Retiring as design director allowed time to continue renovations on the former Comet Club, his 35-year passion, home and studios in Northern Liberties and launch his writing and art chapters. Always ready for a new adventure, this is Trombert’s first solo exhibit of his abstract drawings. As in his design career, light is his muse in collaboration with humor, line, color, poetry and music.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In Search of a Line - Drawing workshop with Pierre Trombert

Saturday March 16th, 12-4 p.m.

Participants will draw a line in poetry and color inspired by selected music from classical to minimalist to modernism. 

3 music pieces : 3 drawings

More info soon!

(more images coming soon)