Settled near Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, the Kavalan aboriginal tribe is expert in the use of banana fiber : they make it their traditional clothing. I had the chance to meet them, to share their way of life and to learn from their elders the ancestral techniques to use this plant.
The banana tree is one of the most cultivated plants in the world. And after each banana harvest, the "trunks" must be cut to facilitate the growth of shoots. Thus, tons of banana trunks are still waiting to be valued.
The banana flesh, a considerable residue unexploited by the Kavalan, reveals a fascinating graphic in the light. By a particular refining technique, I succeeded to stabilize this plant tissue in a color range from white to dark brown. This "new material" is sublimated here in curved walnut shapes, inspired by the banana tree structure.
Nuclée is currently produced in a limited series of 12 manifest pieces, numbered and signed, handcrafted by my own hands.
This project has been realized in collaboration with the designer Cordélia Faure.
Materials : upcycled banana flesh, local walnut veneer, black granite, jute, LED, assembly elements.
