Ludovic Avenel

Cabinetmaker

Tomas Bertelsen ©Michelangelo Foundation

Born to be a craftsman

Ludovic started his apprenticeship at the age of 13
He uses traditional techniques to create contemporary works
He won the Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour l'intelligence de la main in 2007

From the age of seven, Ludovic Avenel knew he wanted to study cabinetmaking. “I always wanted to do that without knowing where it really came from,” he says. Visiting cabinetmaking workshops as a child, he was enchanted by the atmosphere, the universe and the tools he found there. However, when it came to choosing a career path, his teachers told him he should continue in academia, rather than learning a craft. But his parents disagreed, telling their son to simply give it a try. So at the age of 13, Ludovic followed his parents’ advice and started an apprenticeship in cabinetmaking. He later went on to study at École Boulle, where he deepened his creative approach to the craft.

Interview

Tomas Bertelsen ©Michelangelo Foundation

Did you learn your craft from any particular master?: I was very lucky in that throughout every stage of my studies I had masters who were passionate teachers, and have now become friends. Then, by doing professional internships, I met great people right from the beginning, and I think that really helped me.
What kick-started your career?: During my graduation year at École Bulle, I had the chance to work on a reinterpretation of a museum piece. It was very complicated to make and took me a year to do, in the privileged environment of the school. It was the pinnacle of my studies and the starting point for my professional life because it won the Bettencourt Schueller Prize.
How do tradition and innovation inform your work?: I like to combine the two, because my job relies on a succession of innovations related to the material. The peculiarity of wood is that it is alive, it moves. What’s interesting is that you need to rely on indispensable techniques, but at the same time you can do things differently through innovation and research.
What’s most satisfying part of your work?: I think the most memorable moments are when I deliver a piece of work and see the eyes of the person who receives it. It's really a moment of discovery for them and a moment of giving for me. It’s a memorable moment of transition, of sharing, which creates a link between us.

Ludovic Avenel is a master artisan: he began his career in 2008 and he started teaching in 2008