Richard Yasmine

Interior architect and product designer born and raised in Beirut graduated from the Lebanese university institute of fine arts with an honorable Master’s degree. And since started as a conceptual designer, worked for many companies in Beirut, Milan, Dubai and Doha in the field of interior architecture. Recently his concentration is dedicated to “product design". He participated in many collective exhibitions in Beirut, Paris and Milan such as “Beirut design week”, “la biennale de St Etienne” and “Milan design week”.

Member of the syndicate of professional artists, department of scenography, former teacher of technology of materials and design structure in numerous schools. Has participated in several regional and international competitions and acquired number of prizes and awards, permanent attendant to many workshops and fairs. Active in the field of installations, furniture and conceptual design.

In 2014 he won a design competition from where was born his “CALIBRE32” stool published in many magazines and books, then he was selected to be a part of the "revenge" exhibition at SMOgallery for the Beirut design week 2015 with 2 designs "BLEEDING SOUL" miror/coathanger and "GLORY HOLES" soliflore/table that soon went viral, published in local, international blogs and magazines and still getting a huge success.

Later he was selected as part of the BLC PLATFORM for BEIRUT ART FAIR 2015 with “Khayzaran/fairuz” lounge chair and table stool, meanwhile he has been invited by an NGO for an educational intend showcasing and explaining the process of his "WONDERWOOD". Lately his “PROFANE” multi-functional hybrid object, took a part of Ventura Lambrate during Milan Design Week 2016, last but not least “BEYOND OBJECTS” his first solo exhibition during the Beirut Design Week 2016 and “ASHKAL” hand mirrors collection exclusively for Sursock Museum Store.

He is not seeking for any changes in the art world, believes that design should be minimalistic, simple, bold, and straight forward with a touch of fantasy, particularly because fantasy is something innate in his own character. Trying always to incorporate a fresh approach sticking to his culture and tradition, using technology and methodology, perception and spaces, sometimes in a chaotic process but with a very neat sharp result not following any specific period or trend but a reflection to his own image. And another point to add as he says “if I love my design then people will do”.

Generally he is working on integrating the Middle Eastern and specially the Lebanese knowhow and spirit in the recipe of each of his products, collaborating with craftsmen, using traditional carving and marquetry on rough solid materials like wood, metals and stones, consequently to reflect the oriental feel through an extravagant aspect, searching to spread the marriage between tradition and new technologies, keeping his entire identity which is a chaos mixing craziness to sobriety, maybe a weird contradiction and combination but, this is his signature.