Hermine Torikian

Hermine Torikian is an artist and cabinetmaker specializing in marquetry. After leaving her career as an architect, she joined a Parisian woodworking studio and dedicated herself fully to wood marquetry, launching her own business in 2022. Through her creations, she reimagines this luxury craft, which originated in the 17th century, transforming it into a contemporary and unique design element.

“In each of my pieces, the search for movement is omnipresent, while contrasts set the tone of my work. I explore the balance between the solidity and flexibility of wood, between vibrant colors and natural tones.”

Hermine Torikian plays with patterns, colors, and materials, carefully selecting each piece of wood to reveal its light and depth. The woods she uses, such as sycamore maple and exotic species like bubinga, padauk, and wenge from West and Central Africa, give her creations—seats and lamps—a striking contrast that immediately catches the eye.

Hand-assembling pieces cut according to the grain of the wood, the artist incorporates the rhythm of the pattern into the very material. By using stripes or checkerboards, she merges the search for movement with a playful approach, breaking free from the traditional codes of marquetry, which reached its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries in France.

Crafted over 35 to 60 hours of work, her creations are unique pieces. Their curves, with an animated appearance, conceal a technical precision and a constant attention to detail. At the 2024 edition of Private Choice, she will present her “Tango” side tables in positive and negative, as well as her small checkerboard lamp “Bisou.”