The Bazar of Algiers, a workshop of gold and lights

Like a tattoo artist, Arnold designs second-hand ceramics, commissioned by his clients. With golden paint, his drawings tell a story, while his phrases celebrate another. Passionate, his creations make us dream. Barefoot, in a warm and dim atmosphere, Arnold opens the doors to his workshop for us. "We're here at my place, where I receive buyers of my ceramics by appointment to establish a human and caring relationship between the consumer and the creator. I want to distance myself from impersonal emails," he says. Arnold launched his bazaar just two months ago, but his passion goes back much earlier than that. "I am a graphic designer and illustrator by training. Two years ago, I took courses in silk painting and porcelain drawing because I wanted to explore new materials."Especially because I needed to take a break from the computer. The dishes came to me very naturally because my boyfriend and I host a lot of dinners. So I had cups, plates, here and there, and I thought, why not? Arnold quickly wanted to paint on more objects, in a more refined way. "I went in search of second-hand dishes, decorative trinkets like vases, cookie jars, or mazagrans. I have a particular passion for the latter, which are associated with something old-fashioned, once used by our grandmothers for tea or coffee. That's where my guiding line lies: giving life back to neglected objects. That's also why I buy dishes that have already lived, so that I can reinvent them."In the Bazar d'Alger, perfection is not sought; "I sometimes work on chipped dishes, so I came up with the idea of painting them gold, to add value and make my buyers proud of second-hand items," says Arnold. Taking out his applied arts pencil case, Arnold has taken a new direction in his career and hopes to fully dedicate himself to it eventually. Passionate and always seeking to avoid boredom, he answered our question about his favorite creation as follows: "Always the next one. The one I haven't started yet...". Bazar d'Alger Find the shop at: www.bazardalger.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/bazardalger