Charles Kalpakian

Eyes on Talents member, Charles Kalpakian, was among the designers selected for the second edition of the Prix du design de l'Institut du monde arabe. His shortlisted piece, Cité, a mural commissioned by Atelier 27 Paris for the Royal Mansour Hotel in Casablanca, is a tribute to the art and architecture of the city. Part tactile cartography, part contemplative landscape, this monumental mural creation, crafted by Atelier François Pouenat, reworks traditional Moroccan forms to spark imagination and wonder. Symbolizing the link between know-how and cultural heritage, the sculptural map combines brass and aluminium to reflect the fusion of Moroccan craftsmanship and modernity.
Charles Kalpakian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1982. His chiseled geometric lines are the signature of his work, characterized by the diversity of his cultural identity filtered through a resolutely contemporary prism. Charles Kalpakian combines traditional French techniques, notably marquetry, with the reinterpretation of classic motifs and historical forms, while taking a fresh look at traditional metalwork.