Et pourquoi pas... is a group exhibition that does not seek to bring together works on a particular theme or subject. On the contrary, it offers a platform to three different artistic personalities whose confrontation - the fact of exhibiting together - will create a unique universe and atmosphere. The title, which reflects a question I ask myself with each project, takes on its full meaning here. It's the thought that crossed my mind when I decided to go ahead with my idea: "And why not..." to present these three artists - Camille Cottier, Jean-Baptiste Durand and Patrick de Glo de Besses - in the same project.

The first step was to bring together two very different designers, one a minimalist, the other more techno, inspired by motor sport. This idea, which at first sight seems almost absurd because of its binary nature, was nevertheless close to my heart. It is an opportunity to assert my vision of art: an art that takes into account the diversity of practices and does not confine itself to dogmatism in the service of bad taste or narrow-mindedness.

The second step was to find an artist whose visual writing could add a sensitive dimension to the exhibition. It seemed essential to me to introduce a human presence into this confrontation of works.

Camille Cottier's paintings, with their characters in soft, warm colours, breathe real humanity into design objects. These works don't just embellish rooms, they bring objects back to life, anchor them in everyday life and confirm their usefulness. In this way, chairs, tables and lamps, which could be considered as simple decorative elements, rediscover their functional character at the heart of the exhibition.

In a gallery space, a design object often loses its connection to functional reality and is transformed into a sculpture. By integrating Camille's paintings, the aim is to re-establish this link, to 'bring these objects back to life' and give them a living dimension. I believe that design should never be reduced to a simple object frozen in a passive function. It must be at the service of people, an active and useful presence, far from the immobility of a green plant forgotten in a corner.

(Text by Philippe Valentin)