Paul Cocksedge, feeling playful at the Hôtel de Sully

London-based designer Paul Cocksedge is known for his spectacular installations and his offbeat use of materials. His work oscillates between art installations and furniture production. Highly inspired by science, and motivated by his care for the planet, he suspended a luminescent sphere made up of 2500 pieces of freshly mined, iridescent coal, within Liverpool Cathedral. In Paris, Peter Marino chose his Bourrasque chandelier to illuminate the Dior flagship on Avenue Montaigne: a flutter of luminous paper leaves that seems to float away on the breeze. He is now the exceptional guest invited by Paris Design Week, who has asked him to take over the Orangerie and garden of the Hôtel de Sully on Place des Vosges. This time, he seizes upon our reflection in the mirror. He echoes the shape of large balloons compressed into frames as a way to create a certain optical confusion between flatness and three-dimensional volume. A play on reflections is created with the Louis-XIII-style architecture, the sky, the gardens, and, last but not least, visitors, who are a key part of this setting. “We’ve all been kids,” he says. “This world needs more playfulness. So, I imagined reflective surfaces that seem to come to life. Mirrors will reflect the marvelous setting of the Orangerie and refract its image. Anywhere you look, there are architectural elements, such as these large doors that open onto the garden, as well as the sky. People will become part of this image. This also refers to our obsession with taking selfies through screens. But here, it’s just a simple mirror, something that everyone has at home. I hope that this experience will help them have a good time and connect with each other.” Paul Cocksedge is preparing to try the experience of opening up his Instagram account to any creative individual who wants to get in touch with him. “I’m here. Send me a DM, and if I can advise you, I will. We need more creative exchange in this world. It’s the best way to move society forward.” For those who may be interested, during Paris Design Week, he will be seated on a chair in the garden of the Hôtel de Sully, with another chair facing him. He will meet with those who have sent him a lightbulb emoji on Instagram, along with a few introductory sentences. “It will be an honor to talk with people,” he says. Did someone say “playful”?