‘For me, furniture is either useful or it’s a sculptural artwork’

Stéphane Custot, 46, has been an independent art dealer for 25 years, specialising in modern and contemporary work. He is co-organiser of the Pavilion of Art & Design London fair (formerly DesignArt London), which will run from October 14-18. He lives in London with his wife, Laurence, and their two children.

You were born in Paris. Is this where you grew up?
Yes. I lived with my parents and younger sister in a big apartment next to a park in Neuilly. Both my parents had great taste and it was beautifully decorated with a mix of post-impressionist paintings, bourgeois furniture and Cambodian and Chinese pieces. My grandfather worked in east Asia and my mother was born in Singapore, so we had some lovely things from that part of the world. There was a massive Empire-style buffet in the 18th-century living room where my father’s Chinese snuffbox collection was displayed. My parents understood how to mix classical furniture with post-impressionist art to create a smart yet cosy ambience and it helped to develop my artistic “eye” early on.

Did you continue living in Paris?
I was studying law in Paris when I fell in love with the art world. I realised I wanted to turn my passion into a career so I came to London for a year’s course at Sotheby’s and then did a six-month internship at Christie’s in New York. I wanted to be an independent dealer rather than work in a large firm, so I spent the following 20 years working with my cousin, Waring Hopkins, who runs the Hopkins-Custot gallery in Paris. I resigned my directorship when I moved to London in 2005.

Where do you live now?
In a big duplex apartment in London. It is on the ground and lower-ground floors of a very tall Victorian building. What attracted me was its classical structure, the grand entrance and lovely high ceilings with their original plaster mouldings and cornices. The apartment was in the process of being redeveloped when I bought it so my wife and I were able to have some input into the design. We separated the living space from the office-cum-dining area using doors fitted with a large expanse of glass so that natural light would pour through the entire space. We also created a Japanese courtyard garden, into which all four bedrooms lead, with the help of landscape designer Martin Summers. It’s a lovely contrast to the typical London square at the front of the apartment.

Why did you move to London?
To have more contact with artists and collectors. Dealers in London come from all sorts of backgrounds. As an impressionist and modern art dealer, I wanted to extend my knowledge of the contemporary art scene. People are buying art in a different way now. They visit fairs rather than galleries, or ask dealers to visit them, so it is less important to have a big gallery these days. I thought there was an opportunity to show modern and contemporary art and design at a unique fair. I worked with Patrick Perrin to launch it in 2007.

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Compositions in oil and metal

Miró’s “Personnage” sculpture, from 1980, is genius in its purest state. I find it very emotive.

“Composition”, an oil painting by Pierre Soulages from 1952, gives off a subtle energy that I find very meditative.

I like the rigorous, geometrical shapes of Marc du Plantier’s Lampadaire from 1950 and the contrast between his use of rough and refined materials.

Yoichi Ohira’s verrerie, circa 2000, combines Japanese refinement with Italian Murano glass techniques. The vase has a wonderful sense of timelessness and reminds me of the sea.

Ron Arad’s Looming Creature Comfort chair, from 1992, has an amazing shape made of plaited metal. I love it because it’s simultaneously a chair and a table.

I love the abstract qualities of Joan Mitchell’s oil painting “Composition”, from 1974. She was one of the front-runners of expressionist art in the 1950s but in the 1970s she really invented her own style of abstract figuration.

What kind of style and ambience have you tried to create at home?
My wife and I wanted to create a dialogue with the artworks and design pieces so the background needed to be fairly neutral. We wanted to retain a classical structure by keeping the original fireplaces and heavy wooden doors from the 1870s yet add a lighter, more contemporary touch through the use of colour on the walls, interesting lighting and, in general, playing with the contrast between old and new.

Which is your favourite room and why?
My office, which is separated from the living room by elegant doors. I love its classical proportions, which make me feel very much at ease. And I’m surrounded by my favourite black-and-white photographs by Cartier-Bresson, Clifford Ross and Hiroshi Sugimoto.

What other furnishings have you chosen?
For me, furniture is either useful – like the bespoke sofas in the living room and the leather-topped table in my office, both by Christian Liaigre – or it’s a sculptural artwork. Ron Arad is a favourite in the latter category and I have one of his amazing stainless steel chairs and a table that, turned on its side, becomes a chair.

Are you a collector yourself?
I collect American and European abstract art of the 1950s and I’m particularly fond of artists such as Joan Mitchell, Zao Wouki and Pierre Soulages. What really gives me pleasure as a collector is to discover forgotten schools of painting such as American photo-realism. It is not currently in fashion but I rank it after pop art. But I can also fall in love at first sight with design pieces such as Pablo Reinoso’s Spaghetti bench.

Which artists or designers inspire you?
Miró was the first painter who inspired me. I’ve always liked his pure, subtle masterpieces, his sense of balance and a style that goes beyond fashion. I’m also passionate about three contemporary artists: Fernando Botero for his alluring shapes and his faux-naive take on South American culture; Marc Quinn, who looks at the human body and spirit in all its contradictions; and Sam Szafran, with his improbable perspectives and magical techniques using pastels and watercolours.

What do you miss about Paris when you’re in London?
Its architectural beauty. I often wish I could walk along the Seine from Notre Dame to the Grand Palais through the Louvre and the Orsay Museum.

And is there anything you miss about London when you’re in Paris?
Its well-balanced mix between the natural and man-made.