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Rendering of French artist Sébastien Léon ’ s functional work designed for The MIND
CEREBRAL SHOPPING
Inside The MIND — the aptly named retail space at the newly opened Orange County Museum of Art — is a functional art piece from French artist Sébastien Léon made from mirror-polished stainless-steel scales that reflect the terra cotta tiles that cover the exterior and parts of the Morphosis-designed interior of the new building . But get closer , beyond the iconic vintage jewelry showcased on the sculpture , and you ’ ll hear the hypnotic soundtrack pumping through the space , a sound installation which Léon composed in collaboration with musician and producer Joshua Carter of Phantogram , coming from inside the sculpture . The retail space , operated by Emmanuel Renoird and Nicolas Libert , creators of the concept store Please Do Not Enter in downtown LA and South Coast Plaza , opened to the public in October in tandem with the museum ’ s building , and it provides visitors a unique shopping experience , featuring glimpses into the first-floor galleries and natural light streaming from the lobby ’ s atrium , as well as a distinctive selection of vintage and artist-designed products . “ Our goal with The MIND was to create a surprising and unexpected museum store experience envisioned as a ‘ destination within a destination .’ With a continuously changing inventory of artist and artisan-designed products , visitors to the store are sure to find something new on each visit ,” say Renoird and Libert .
Heidi Zuckerman , CEO and director of the Orange County Museum of Art , says Renoird and Libert are known for their “ one-of-a-kind whimsical retail experiences and dynamic collaborations , so they are the perfect partners to create a store for OCMA that complements and enhances our visitors ’ experience . We chose the name , ‘ The MIND ,’ as we hope this space and its content stimulate visitors ’ thoughts and imaginations .”
14 FALL / WINTER 2022 / 23 | LATITUDE33MAGAZINE . COM