Atelier Nouvelle Adresse was born out of a meeting between two artists who share a passion for a modest object deeply emblematic of Montréal: the blue and white enamelled steel address plaques that are such a distinctive feature of the city’s built landscape.
Marie-Michelle Deschamps and Aurélie Guillaume work in the same studio and also share a craft that is becoming increasingly rare: enamelling. Each approach the material in a distinct manner, Marie-Michelle as a visual artist and Aurélie as a contemporary jewellery artist.
Vitrified enamel is a unique material, and mastering the technique requires time, precision and a detailed understanding of the various stages of production and firing. It is a demanding technique to which both Marie-Michelle and Aurélie are deeply committed.
Photo: Justine Latour
The project runs alongside their respective professional practices. For Atelier Nouvelle Addresse, bringing these address plaques back to life is a tangible way of combining their passion for material with a shared vision of their role as artists: rooted in the handmade and legacy of the craft, and contributing, in their own small way, to the continuity of Montréal’s heritage.
In the studio, the plaques are handmade in small batches using vitreous enamel on steel. Behind their apparent simplicity lies a precise process, in which the material, colour, heat and time must all come together in specific harmony.
Through Atelier Nouvelle Adresse, Marie-Michelle and Aurélie breathe new life into an object that is as understated as it is emblematic of Montréal. It is Atelier Nouvelle Adresse’s unique way of restoring a touch of living history to today’s building façades.
—
Design partner
Principal
Illustrations
Corinne Danzé-Pagé
