Paul Youenn, born in 1997, lives and works in Montreuil.
An artist and designer, he pursues a hybrid practice that explores the intersections of science, design, and conceptual thought. Fascinated by the invisible, he develops projects that translate complex systems into tangible pieces. His work explores the use of textures as a sensory language, drawing on innovative techniques to investigate themes such as compression, the impermanence of matter, and the disappearance of information.
Rooted in a blend of references from science fiction, scientific imagery, and historical archives, he combines cutting-edge technologies with artisanal techniques to create silent narratives, where his approach shifts between futuristic imagination and organic reality. A graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven (Netherlands), he enriches his approach in the realm of research, collaborating with scientists, engineers, and laboratories, notably at École Polytechnique (X), where he explores topics related to research and development. This environment profoundly shapes the aesthetics of his work, marked by rigor, technical materials, and methodologies specific to laboratories.
Since 2020, Paul Youenn has presented his creations in prestigious venues and events across Europe. In Paris, his work has been exhibited at Sotheby’s, the Consulat Voltaire, 3537, and as part of the exhibition Fertile. Beyond the capital, he has also shown his work at Hôtel Gouin in Tours. Internationally, his pieces have been featured at Schloss Hollenegg in Austria, as well as at Alcova, Spazio Fonte in Milan, and Kazerne in Eindhoven.
In 2020, his project Moon 925 was integrated into the permanent collection of the Silver Museum in the Netherlands, highlighting the impact of his exploration of materials and tangibility. In parallel, he is also engaged in curating exhibitions, having co-organized Corpus Machina at Consulat Voltaire during Paris Photo 2023. Since 2021, he has been a jury member for the French Institute of Design.
Through his innovative and deeply meaningful approach, Paul Youenn invites a contemporary reflection on the dialogue between scientific research, artisanal heritage, and imagination, cementing his position as a leading artist-designer.
©Quentin Lacombe
Exhibitions
2024 Mar - group show "La mort en ce Jardin" - Paris, France
2023 Nov - group show "Corpus Machina" Paris Photo - Paris, France
2023 Sept - duo show "Fragments" Adaptism at Le Consulat - Paris, France
2023 Apr - Milan Design Week - group show at Spazio Fonte - Milan, Italy
2022 Sept - duo show "Leftover" Adaptism at Le Consulat - Paris, France
2022 Sept - Paris Design Week at 3537 - Paris, France
2022 May - Design Award Kazerne - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2022 Mar - Castle Schloss Hollenegg - East to West - Hollenegg, Austria
2021 Nov - Dutch Design Week / Kazerne - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2021 Nov - Design Academy Graduation Show 21 - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2021 Sept - Milan Design Week / Alcova - Milan, Italy
2020 Mar - Textiel Lab / Textiel Museum Tilburg - Tilburg, The Netherlands
2020 Mar - Permanent Collection of the Zilvermuseum - Schoonhoven, The Netherlands
2020 Feb - OBJECT Rotterdam - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2019 Nov - Dutch Design Week with Make Material Sense - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Education