Bonhomme Carvaval Ashtray
May 31st, 2006
Design:
Manufacture: Ceramique de Beauce, PQ
Date: 1955
A true time capsule, designed to help celebrate and mark the Quebec Carnival. This familiar Bonhomme mascot is the proud symbol of the winter festival and is a major cultural icon of the province and French culture. Part of a complete set, from ashtrays to lamps and more, this humble object demonstrates how a location can produce their own memorabilia that truly reflects where it was created. This work was generated by a French designer, at a local factory, using available clays and materials, all combining into a potent souvenir. This is getting extremely rare and work like this must be valued and recognized for its power and significance.
-Todd Falkowsky
Entry Filed under: Best of the CDR,Ceramics,Gong Show
4 Comments Add your own
1. admin | June 1st, 2006 at 07:34
Wow!
Ceramique de Beauce produced a lot of really innovative designs and in doing so, often pushed the boundaries of good taste… I really appreciate that about Beauceware, but this one looses me… bad as a sculpture and bad as an ashtray (maybe its nice as a sculpture full of ashes?… poor Bonhomme).
2. admin | June 1st, 2006 at 12:39
Using design to celebrate local events could hardly be critiqued the same way we would an Alessi teakettle. The rules of “good taste” are not as paramount as design creating cultural value within a society. This example may show its age (ashtrays were a common household item) and its French Canadianism (Bonhomme rides in a canoe) but it is a artifact of a time when Canadian design and manufacturing were creating products for Canadians and using them to create memories in the minds of the visitor as giftware and souvenirs (check what out souvenirs are today and where Canadian souvenirs are made/designed, you will realize that this is no longer at play).I think that these objects are lessons. If we can bring the ideas contained in them up into our time than we can unlock and define our own contribution to the global village. Bad, perhaps but to critique it on style is to strip it of all its narrative. As designers we should be able to see and dig deeper.
-Todd Falkowsky
3. eric rioberts | June 26th, 2006 at 11:31
Well, there’s never anything wrong with the little man in the boat, in my books… =D
4. naomi | December 10th, 2006 at 13:39
this is the best! todd is right, not all material objects are significant because of their status in the heirarchy of “good” design, but for the purpose of memorabillia and as symbols of canadianism. i enjoy kitsch with a great sense of humour, and would have a hard time not buying a bonhomme ashtray if i were to see if for sale. i’d pick up smoking.
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