After a successful career as a sculptor in Paris and Sao Paulo, Brazil, Jerome Abel Seguin moved to Bali in the mid-1980s, fell in love with the island, and decided to stay. His journey to Bali was driven by a desire to design a natural home that embodied a modern spirit whilst differing from the houses he had encountered in London, Paris, and Berlin.
What drew him to Indonesia, beyond the climate and natural beauty, was the remarkable variety of unfamiliar materials. Initially, he sculpted with glass, mirror-glass, and plaster. In Bali, he works with reclaimed wood, such as jackwood and teak, which he sources from Javanese merchants, island boatmen and fishermen. Whatever wood he finds, he transforms into original furniture pieces, hand-carved with traditional tools and meticulously polished.
Your house has an open-space concept and feels like a gallery. What inspired this design? How would you describe its style?
The Italian writer Curzio Malaparte once said about his famous house on the island of Capri, Italy, “I want a house that looks like me.” I can say the same about my home. I have never liked ‘villas’ or ‘bourgeois houses.’
When my partner and I decided to move to Bali, we searched for an individual building or factory to renovate as our home and gallery. However, when we couldn’t find the right space for our project, I decided to design a warehouse (gudang) using old iron sourced from Surabaya.
I wanted a large and open space where I could install my artwork, with a kitchen and living area filled with natural light. The design allows for easy movement and the flexibility to rearrange the art and furniture effortlessly.
I didn’t aim for a particular style when designing the house. I simply created a space that suited my needs as practically as possible. If there is a style, it’s simply “the way I am.”
Having spent much of your life in France, how do you feel when you visit this house? Does being in Bali enhance your creativity? What makes this house special to you?
I divide my time between France and Bali, so I feel at home in both places whether
in Bali or in my countryside barn house in Bordeaux, France. Creativity doesn’t reside in Bordeaux or Bali. It exists within my mind and accompanies me wherever I go. To ensure my creativity flows freely, I keep the house free of unnecessary decorative elements.
Which part of the house do you spend most of your time in, and why?
Of course, my office. It’s where the concepts for my pieces take shape. I also enjoy spending time in my workshop and kitchen since I love cooking!
You designed the chairs and tables in this house using reclaimed materials. Do you still find materials that excite you to create new designs?
Most of my work results from an encounter between myself and raw materials—whether wood or iron. Because of this, I don’t produce furniture in series. I consider myself more of a “maker of objects” rather than a designer. My creations can be seen as both art and furniture.
If you had the chance to renovate this house, would you? What changes would you make compared to your original plan?
As for my house today, aside from a few details in the bathroom or kitchen, I wouldn’t change anything. However, I would be interested in designing another house in a different location.
What is your next project?
My next project is to create ten to fifteen metal artworks using rare materials. These pieces will be large-scale and are planned for an exhibition in Los Angeles or Miami, in the next three to four years.