Summary of M/M Paris
Melanie Cooper
Vertical Summary
M/M Paris is a studio formed by two different artists; Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak. The two met in an art school in Paris (L’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs) and started the studio in 1992. They started as graphic designers and art directors for small independent music labels. They were asked to do an album for Mathilda May, she was a French actress who was trying to start her sing career. Amzalag said it was the biggest disaster in french history. He never indicated whether he meant their work or hers, however it was their first project from beginning to end, including a stylist and photographer. Once they caught the attention of the fashion world they later collaborated with many different larger iconic artists. Most known for their work with Bjork and Madonna.
Their first solo exhibition in a commercial gallery appeared in Haunch of Venison in London. It has been open since 2002, and was to reflect in the mirror of their own experience; portrait of the gallery but also a self-portrait. They designed productions for the Théâtre de Lorient in Brittany as well as ad campaigns for Belenciaga, Yohji Yamamoto and Calvin Klein Jeans. They became close friends and collaborators with Dutch photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. M/M Paris served as the art directors for French Vogue, for two years. Their work included new campaigns for Stella McCartney and Givenchy.
M/M Paris takes on a different approach to graphic design. They have been know to cut and reassemble photographs into densely layered collages, that they then deface them with occasionally erotic illustrations and ornate, hand-drawn type. They have about 40 typefaces in various stages of development. One of their fonts, Allegrette, was a primary-school-inspired font, that has come to be known as Bjork type, originally made for an album called “Art of Singing”. The two created the font Ceasar by having a small child drawing out the alphabet. Each of the letters resulted in 26 scribbles that were supposed to correspond with a different letter.
They were commissioned to creat a website for the Serpentine Gallery. The man who asked them to create the website, Hans Ulrich Orbrist, knew it would be anything but a normal website. If you click a button on the website, a fat, squiggly animated line emerges and disappears in an endless loop. There is now a book out about M/M Paris, M to M of M/M (Paris). It details their collaborations and work the two have done throughout the years.
Lateral Summary
One of M/M Paris’ collaborators was Pierre Huyghe. Pierre was born in Paris, France in 1962. He works in Paris and New york as an artist, filmmaker and philosopher. He also attended École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. His work ranges from puppet theaters to small town parades and model amusement parks. Huyghe has had solo exhibitions at Tate Modern, London and ARC, Musée d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2006); Carpenter Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2004); Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2004); Dia Center for the Arts, New York (2003); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2003); Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2000); and Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2000). The Public Art Fund commissioned Huyghe to create “A Journey that Wasn’t” (2006), which included an expedition to Antarctica, a performance in Central Park, and a video installation at the Whitney Biennial in New York.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir was another collaborator with M/M Paris. Bjork is a singer song writer; she started to study classical music at the age of 5 and released her first album in 1977. She formed a pop group “The Sugarcubes” with Einar Örn Benediktsson and Sigtryggur Baldursson and eventually other members Þór Eldon. The band released its first single in 1986 and its first album “Life’s Too Good”, in 1988. After some problems in the UK, where she lived, she decided to go to Spain to record her third album, "Homogenic", released in 1997.
M/M have worked on catalogs for institutions like The Musee d’Art Moderne was designed for the International Art and Technical Exhibition in 1937. It opened in 1961 with modern collections from the Petit Palais and the collectors Emanuele Sarmiento, Mathilde Amos and Ambroise Vollard. The Serpentine Gallery was another collaborator with the company. The gallery has permanent work by the artist and poet Ian Hamilton Finlay, dedicated to the Serpentine’s former Patron Diana, Princess of wales.
Stella McCartney and Calvin Klein were both fashion companies that worked with M/M paris. Stella was born in London England. Her parents Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda. She started her career in 1995; she had her friends and supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss model her clothes in her college graduation. She graduated from London’s Central St. Martins College of Art & Design. Critics claimed her last name artificially accelerated her rise. She quickly proved this to be false. Calvin Klein Jeans was introduced in 1978. It is famous for its memorable advertising and innovative denim designs. It’s evolved into a sexy, modern brand.
M/M Paris is a studio formed by two different artists; Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak. The two met in an art school in Paris (L’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs) and started the studio in 1992. They started as graphic designers and art directors for small independent music labels. They were asked to do an album for Mathilda May, she was a French actress who was trying to start her sing career. Amzalag said it was the biggest disaster in french history. He never indicated whether he meant their work or hers, however it was their first project from beginning to end, including a stylist and photographer. Once they caught the attention of the fashion world they later collaborated with many different larger iconic artists. Most known for their work with Bjork and Madonna.
Their first solo exhibition in a commercial gallery appeared in Haunch of Venison in London. It has been open since 2002, and was to reflect in the mirror of their own experience; portrait of the gallery but also a self-portrait. They designed productions for the Théâtre de Lorient in Brittany as well as ad campaigns for Belenciaga, Yohji Yamamoto and Calvin Klein Jeans. They became close friends and collaborators with Dutch photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. M/M Paris served as the art directors for French Vogue, for two years. Their work included new campaigns for Stella McCartney and Givenchy.
M/M Paris takes on a different approach to graphic design. They have been know to cut and reassemble photographs into densely layered collages, that they then deface them with occasionally erotic illustrations and ornate, hand-drawn type. They have about 40 typefaces in various stages of development. One of their fonts, Allegrette, was a primary-school-inspired font, that has come to be known as Bjork type, originally made for an album called “Art of Singing”. The two created the font Ceasar by having a small child drawing out the alphabet. Each of the letters resulted in 26 scribbles that were supposed to correspond with a different letter.
They were commissioned to creat a website for the Serpentine Gallery. The man who asked them to create the website, Hans Ulrich Orbrist, knew it would be anything but a normal website. If you click a button on the website, a fat, squiggly animated line emerges and disappears in an endless loop. There is now a book out about M/M Paris, M to M of M/M (Paris). It details their collaborations and work the two have done throughout the years.
Lateral Summary
One of M/M Paris’ collaborators was Pierre Huyghe. Pierre was born in Paris, France in 1962. He works in Paris and New york as an artist, filmmaker and philosopher. He also attended École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. His work ranges from puppet theaters to small town parades and model amusement parks. Huyghe has had solo exhibitions at Tate Modern, London and ARC, Musée d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2006); Carpenter Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2004); Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2004); Dia Center for the Arts, New York (2003); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2003); Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2000); and Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2000). The Public Art Fund commissioned Huyghe to create “A Journey that Wasn’t” (2006), which included an expedition to Antarctica, a performance in Central Park, and a video installation at the Whitney Biennial in New York.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir was another collaborator with M/M Paris. Bjork is a singer song writer; she started to study classical music at the age of 5 and released her first album in 1977. She formed a pop group “The Sugarcubes” with Einar Örn Benediktsson and Sigtryggur Baldursson and eventually other members Þór Eldon. The band released its first single in 1986 and its first album “Life’s Too Good”, in 1988. After some problems in the UK, where she lived, she decided to go to Spain to record her third album, "Homogenic", released in 1997.
M/M have worked on catalogs for institutions like The Musee d’Art Moderne was designed for the International Art and Technical Exhibition in 1937. It opened in 1961 with modern collections from the Petit Palais and the collectors Emanuele Sarmiento, Mathilde Amos and Ambroise Vollard. The Serpentine Gallery was another collaborator with the company. The gallery has permanent work by the artist and poet Ian Hamilton Finlay, dedicated to the Serpentine’s former Patron Diana, Princess of wales.
Stella McCartney and Calvin Klein were both fashion companies that worked with M/M paris. Stella was born in London England. Her parents Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda. She started her career in 1995; she had her friends and supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss model her clothes in her college graduation. She graduated from London’s Central St. Martins College of Art & Design. Critics claimed her last name artificially accelerated her rise. She quickly proved this to be false. Calvin Klein Jeans was introduced in 1978. It is famous for its memorable advertising and innovative denim designs. It’s evolved into a sexy, modern brand.