22/03/2025
fallenTree: A Dialogue Between Craftsmanship and Design
It all begins in Loire-Atlantique, where Valérie Maltaverne and craftsman/carpenter Matthieu Bidard meticulously choose oak tree branches. It’s not just a matter of aesthetics: each selected branch already tells a story, with its unique grain and organic curves.
Once transported to the workshop, the oak branches and industrial planks are assembled with respect and precision. The craftsman carves the seat while preserving the natural qualities of the wood, revealing its veins and imperfections, which become an integral part of the design.
The greatest challenge? Finding the balance between the raw strength of the oak and the lightness of the borosilicate glass that supports it. At every step, Valérie and the craftsman exchange, test, and adjust.
It’s not just about making a bench, but about merging art and craftsmanship. Through this dialogue between human hands and nature, fallenTree is not only a bench; it becomes a testament to the deep connection between ancestral know-how and contemporary innovation.
The fallenTree is much more than a piece of furniture: it is a functional sculpture, now displayed in prestigious institutions such as the Centre Pompidou, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris, and the Albertine Foundation in New York.
“Working with YMER&MALTA means connecting my craft with the demands of design. Each piece becomes a challenge, an evolution of my expertise.” – Matthieu Bidard
FALLENTREE
Morning Mist Collection
YMER&MALTA/ Benjamin Graindorge
2011