Ask to Arik Levy

Artist, engineer, photographer, designer…, Arik Levy is a very gifted israeli designer who has found his place in Paris. He prides himself on having a great ability to understand the philosophy of the brand in each project. And one more time, we could find this complicity in our new collections Bowl and Fluent. Levy soul, Inbani essence.

01 //What would you say is your daily source of inspiration?

I do not know one specific source, I’m still looking for it. It is a combination of many elements that are not totally in my control. I have a very receptive spirit and body sensors and all together they combine these injections of inspirations…needless to say that the discussions in the studio with my team and everyday life are a great source too.

02 //At your studio, you differentiate between» design » and » artworks » . It is understood that the design is a result of requirements imposed by the client or not, but in the purely artistic side (artworks), what sense does it for you? and what do you want to express? How do you think this aspect affects the field of your design?

Right! There is a difference in the conceptual departure point and intellectual approach to these subjects. Nevertheless the cross-over bridge can be more or less expressed or present in connection to the project. This juxtaposition of thinking, feeling and conceptualizing process, gives me the possibility to connect these areas of my brain that work simultaneously. The effect of the art over the design is great and in the area of the bath we have more space to express it.

03 //Your work in the field of art and design is highly multidisciplinary. What does it mean for you a project for a bathroom space? In terms of design, what differences are in front of another furnishing area?

What we created in these collections is a good mix of both artistic approach and design approach. I wanted to design products with a sculptural presence and a functional existence. The bathroom is the only space in the house where the body is naked and with no masks. We are psychologically exposed and physically receptive to the process of self “maintenance” as well as the pleasure of taking care of ourselves. My artworks derive from science, emotions, social codes, psychotherapy and nature all in interaction with us human. All these are directly connected to the body and they are very relevant to the bathroom area.

04 //In your second story with Inbani ( Structure 2008 ; Bowl & Fluent 2014) two collections have occurred simultaneously. What do you think about what contributes each one? What do they mean for you and your relationship with the brand (Inbani)?

Inbani is a small company with a big heart and even bigger motivation. With a flexible and looking-forward strategy. All these are important and allow to express the ideas of these new collections that are also very different from what we have designed before. Companies like Inbani can take these roads and create full collections and accessories for a total bath environment. I believe what we did together take bathroom design one step forward, make space to new ideas of installation for architects and users, shows a thinking and visual appearance that is distant and different from other mainstream products…all this for the pleasure of the body, eye and mind.

05 //How emerges each collection and highlights about each of them?

The ultimate test is one! Everyone of you that stands in front of these collections and feel their own personal feeling and connection with the collection or elements in it….a function or a beautiful curve…close your eyes and feel with the hand what you liked with your sight. When the product is standing at the showroom it says “I am ready fro use and I am well done”…when it is at home it interacts with so many other elements where the most important is just one and it is US people. These are products born, imagined, conceived, engineered, crafted and made for you to feel good.