[Bespoke Exclusive Collection Interviews] ① Artist Thibaud Hérem on How His Intricate Landscapes Came to Life on Bespoke Panels

To celebrate the release of Samsung’s latest BESPOKE lineup, the company is collaborating with three artists and brands – Thibaud Hérem, Andy Rementer and HAY – to highlight how the Bespoke refrigerator’s wide range of color and panel choices lets users bring creativity and personal flair into their home spaces.

The first artist of this collaboration project to be spotlighted is Thibaud Hérem. Born in France and now based in London, Hérem is an illustrator who depicts those everyday forms found in nature and architecture through fine linework. Hand-drawn with fine-tipped pens, Hérem’s work depicts a side of the everyday – the ‘soul’ – unable to be captured through photography.

An exclusive design by Thibaud Hérem of Fontainebleau for Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerators is now available in limited edition in France, Italy, and Poland.

In order to find out more about the intricate artwork of Thibaud Hérem and how he brought his Bespoke designs to life for this collaboration, Samsung Global Newsroom spoke with the artist to learn more.

Limited-edition panels designed by Thibaud Hérem for Bespoke

Q: In your work, you convey the beauty and intricacy of everyday life – particularly that of buildings – through architectural drawing. What made you choose this focus for your work?

The simple things we encounter every day are great sources of inspiration for me. I have always drawn and sketched, but the most important aspect of being an illustrator is just to observe, something I do all the time. Drawing portraits of the buildings around me, or that I simply just like the look of, is a way for me to convey unique emotions and stories to the public.

Architecture is not just the everyday object that is visible, but also the story and history of a culture. This affects me greatly, personally, hence why I chose it as my main subject.

Q: We hear that this collaboration is your first collaboration with a global electronics company. What led you to collaborate with Samsung on this Bespoke project in particular?

This is indeed my first collaboration with such a large technology corporation, and I am hugely grateful that this ‘first’ is with Samsung. I firmly believe that the best collaborations come about when each party involved brings their own expertise to the table; in fact, being so different in the nature of our industries is what actually brought us closer together.

With this collaboration, I wanted to share something that our products all have in common: science, and creativity.

Q: What was your main focus during this collaboration? Please tell us about the feeling you wanted to convey with your special-edition designs.

For this collaboration, I wanted to explore my own culture within my own practice, hence the inclusion of French and English landmarks in my designs for Bespoke. Working with designs of famous landmarks has always been something important to my practice.

The fact that my designs for this collaboration were to be associated with such a crucial, everyday product was, for me, an amazing challenge, and I think it has changed the relationship my drawings have with the viewer. The resulting designs have brought them closer to the viewer physically, and the promise of constant interaction given the domestic nature of the Bespoke product makes that connection more intimate.

Q: We heard that it usually takes 100 to 200 hours – sometimes 600 to 700 hours, or even more – for you to complete your elaborate works. How long did the drawings for the Bespoke special edition project take?

I use a 0.1 mm-width pen, and most of the time trace 4 lines per millimeter. Therefore, it does indeed take a lot of time to complete a drawing, but my practice is all about technique. I take the time to perfect my drawings because I see my art as a craft, and am always working hard to get better at my skill. In total, this project ended up taking over 1,000 hours to complete.

Artist Thibaud Hérem

Q: What are your thoughts on the Bespoke line’s unique design which allows users to choose colors and finishes for their refrigerators?

Samsung’s Bespoke line brings life and art together, something that I think allows for a strong bond to be created between these two factors. It also provides a way for people to experience more art in their daily lives, something that I consider a benefit to society as art has such a powerful emotional effect on people – for the better.

I am very excited to have been a part of such a creative project with Samsung, and I look forward to seeing more such collaborations.

Q: What are your opinions on the range of color and material options for the Bespoke line’s panels? Do you have any particular favorites?

I think that the entire range of colors and finishes available on the Bespoke line is very nice. As well as being tasteful, they suit the inclusion of drawings such as my own well.

Honestly speaking, I would like to furnish my home with all my designs in all kinds of finishes and colors, as I see each panel as art in and of itself. I feel like such an arrangement will provide the awe-inspiring feeling one gets when one is at an exhibition.

Q: Do you have anything further to say to those interested in purchasing the Bespoke Thibaud Hérem Editions?

If you are an individual who chooses to purchase home appliances such as the Bespoke x Thibaud Hérem lineup that combines practical use with creativity, you are clearly an individual who pursues an artistic life – and in my eyes, is admiring paradise!