Hector Guimard: How Paris Got Its Curves

As Curatorial Fellow at Cooper Hewitt, Andrea worked on the exhibition Hector Guimard: How Paris Got Its Curves, which invites a new understanding of France’s most famous Art Nouveau architect, Hector Guimard (1867–1942). Guimard is perhaps best known for his designs for the Paris Métro and private residences like Castel Béranger. These ornate designs—based in the repeated use of organically curved, undulating lines—anchored his efforts to create an eponymous brand he called “Le Style Guimard.” Lesser known are his more pared-down designs for several standardized housing projects from the 1920s, attesting to his socialist and pacificist leanings. Though seemingly opposite in appearance, these later projects were always critical components of Le Style Guimard. Providing urban and historical context for the full range of Hector Guimard’s design work, this exhibition re-examines Le Style Guimard through the lens of his design processes and marketing strategies. Andrea’s contribution to the exhibition includes writing and editing didactic material; researching, scripting, storyboarding and narrating an educational video about Guimard’s Standard-Construction system; collaborating with the exhibition design team; and overseeing the installation.

https://www.cooperhewitt.org/channel/hector-guimard/