Julien Vermeulen: A Feather Artisan and Entrepreneur
Today, Caractères Paris has the privilege of visiting the studio of maison Vermeulen. Feather artisan, artist, and above all entrepreneur, Julien founded his own house in 2015. Under the mentorship of Dominique Pillard, one of the last great feather artisans, Julien developed a passion for feathers. He pursued formal training through a CAP in featherwork at the prestigious Octave Feuillet high school. With an entrepreneurial spirit, after just one year at Lemarié, Julien established his own studio: Maison Vermeulen. He quickly made a name for himself, joining Les Ateliers de Paris in 2016, winning the Paris Creation Prize in 2017, and finally the Bettencourt Prize in 2018.
Maison Vermeulen: Guardian of Feather Craftsmanship
Julien est un fervent défenseur de la préservation et de la transmission du savoir-faire de la plumasserie. Grâce à la présence constante d’au moins un stagiaire, il se fait garant de la transmission de ce savoir-faire et de ses techniques traditionnelles. Il faut savoir que la plumasserie avait une importance majeure pour l’économie française en 1900. La plumasserie comptait sur toute la chaîne de valeur plus de 75000 travailleurs allant de l’éleveur au plumassier en passant par le traitement de la plume. Il y avait entre 500 et 800 ateliers et cela représentait la 4ème économie du pays. Dans les années 80, ce savoir-faire est en danger avec seulement quatre plumassiers. Aujourd’hui, la plume est redevenue une matière travaillée grâce aux efforts d’artisans d’art comme Julien Vermeulen ou encore Nelly Saunier, maître d’art dans la matière.
Julien Vermeulen: Kinetic Feather Artist
But Julien is first and foremost an artist. He now manages to set aside enough time to focus on his art. Movement defines Julien’s work. It is created through the interplay of light on black color and the arrangement of feathers across the panel. He works with turkey and goose feathers, dyeing them black and gluing them together. The black hue captures different moments of light, and the artwork changes color depending on the time of day.
Feathers as Pigment
The material becomes the pigment of the artwork. While one might think of Soulages as an influence, it is actually Klein's work with material that inspires Julien. He uses black feathers as pigment, which change color depending on how the light touches them. Upon closer inspection, subtle shades of red and blue can be seen on the feathers. Throughout the day, Julien’s work shifts and takes on different hues.
An artist of movement, Julien transforms our perception of feathers, making them disappear in favor of the play of light, bringing color to a shade that seemingly has none.
Paris, February 12, 2020
