Idriss B. from the 22nd Century

Idriss B is a French-Tunisian artist, whose style is recognised for its polygonal shaped sculptures. He was born and raised in France during the 1980s and has a mixed background, with multiple influences. Idriss B has shown an interest in art since his childhood. He moved to Asia at the age of 18.

The 80’s was the beginning of the video games, so he believes part of his artistic influence comes from this. With his considerable knowledge of new materials, combinations of different sources and various handmade art objects, Idriss B began to think of a new collection. This collection was made by molding his vision of contemporary art to create polygonal animal forms in different sizes which he then sold to collectors as limited edition pieces. The goal is to give the possibility to everybody to own a unique piece of art.

Idriss B’s capacity for design with The Art Collection is far wider than what you are reading here. His work is a limited edition in the sense that every created piece is unique.

Vassilios: How your Parisian upbringing inspired you to pursue a career in arts?
IDRISS B: It definitely influenced me. The architecture, the history, the very strong art places and museums dedicated to all kinds of art, gave me the possibility to be sensitive to it at a very young age.

Vassilios: Where did this poly-sculpture idea come from and what does this mean to you?
IDRISS B: The initial view came from origami and it kept being in a side of my mind, but it became a decision when I saw some sculptures of Xavier Veilhan and of other designers. I thought this was an amazing style and I wanted to do the same.

Vassilios: What themes do you pursue?
IDRISS B: Emotions, feelings, the purity of them are the main themes I try to keep in mind.
But my main idea is always to present something new or do something different from others. Doing a collaboration with a chocolate brand, designing a water bottle or a table done in a whole different way, is what I want to keep having in order to always redefine myself and to push my limits.

Vassilios: Who are some of your high-profile clients?
IDRISS B: My clients are some famous people such as Snoop Dogg, Jason Derulo, Dua Lipa, Ja Rule etc who got pieces of my sculptures but my most exclusive order is from a local person in Dubai.

Vassilios: How long have you been living in Dubai and why did you choose to be here?
IDRISS B: It’s been almost 2 years now that I came here with my family. I choose it because of many aspects such as security, weather, quality of life, mixed culture and the central location being in the world. It is an amazing place for raising kids and a flight away from most destinations in the World.

Vassilios: Are there any artworks you’re working on right now?
IDRISS B: Yes, I am always having and preparing new ideas and sculpture styles. I am working on an olive oil bottle right now, a horse and a special sculpture for a Royal Family member.

Vassilios: Have you ever thought about designing poly-sculptures at the landmarks in the capitals of the world?
IDRISS B: Yes, and it is part of the plan!! Lol! This summer, I will be starting in New York city and starting in Miami, Rome, Milan and Paris this September.

Vassilios: Does your practice change over the years?
IDRISS B: Yes it did ! Before we used to sculpt from a clay block, piece by piece, centimeters by centimeters, but now, with the technology progress, I work now with 3D rendering and design first, then printing them in 3D, then modifying with the clay and resin in order to get the perfect visual.
When this is done, we make the mould and the piece with fiberglass and resin. Also, I try to work on new finishes and ways of making the pieces, for example, I do have chameleon pieces which have the color changes depending on the point of view of the piece and the light.

Vassilios: What is your artistic outlook on life?
IDRISS B: That your vision can’t fit and is loved by everybody, some people will be touched, some will not feel anything, some will hate it. Most important is to be true to yourself and doing it with heart.

Vassilios: What is your dream project?
IDRISS B: Having a collaboration with a brand such as Nike or Louis Vuitton would be an amazing achievement in creativity, proudness, and design.

Vassilios: What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?
IDRISS B: “Keep working hard, focus and don’t count the hours.”
“If you don’t believe in yourself, why would somebody else?”
Those are what I have been hearing since I was young and I keep it in mind everyday.

Vassilios: Name three artists you would like to collaborate with.
IDRISS B: Virgil Abloh, Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons would be an amazing collaboration.

Vassilios: It is said that music gives the rhythm to the creation. Does music influence you while you’re sculpting?
IDRISS B: Actually, not specially, my mood at the time of creation is what influences it, being more or less strong in the movement or details seen on the sculptures I make. Sometimes, my mood is more of a child and happy mood, so the sculpture will be having a touch of fun such as the crocodile or the bear for example.

Vassilios: Are there any ideal conditions for working on your art?
IDRISS B: Yes, having the time and the right environment where I can fully focus on it, during holidays for example or at the beach, observing nature, also watching documentaries helps a lot on my next animal creations.