April 15th, 2008

squb-3064.jpg

Milan 08: Dutch designer Tord Boontje will present his new Witches’ Kitchen collection for Artecnica’s Design With Conscience range at Zona Tortona this week.

bita_dsc4107.jpg

Made by artisan communities in Brazil, Guatemala and Colombia, the collection includes black ceramic cooking pots, wooden utensils, fringed and patchwork aprons and oven gloves.

b-3069.jpg

See our previous story for more information about the Design with Conscience range.

bita_dsc4016.jpg

The Witches’ Kitchen will be on show at Via Savona 55 Milano, in Zona Tortona, 16-21 April.

b-3064.jpg

Here’s some more details from Artecnica:

Witches’ Kitchen

Designed by Studio Tord Boontje

Tord Boontje’s Witches’ KitchenTM is an extensive handcrafted kitchenware collection featuring cookware, utensils, and kitchen couture. A Design with Conscience project, Artecnica enlists artisan communities in Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia to produce different elements of the collection.

Witches’ Kitchen cookware is hand-moulded by Colombian artisans using a centuries-old pottery technique, and is embellished with textured leaf prints using a method developed by Artecnica and the artisans involved. The cookware line includes a black ceramic casserole and saucepan, both with matching lids that double as serving bowls.

Guatemalan artisans hand-carve an intricate assortment of wooden utensils out of locally sourced sustainable and reforested wood. These utensils evoke a witch’s essential tools, including a dagger knife and a pair of salad tossers shaped like witch’s hands, in addition to a variety of double-ended serving forks and spoons.

Finally, the artisans of Brazil’s Coopa-Roca women’s cooperative (who created Artecnica’s Design with Conscience Come Rain Come Shine lamp) create the all-black, hand-sewn line of kitchen couture. These talented women tailor a fringed Witches’ Apron and Witches’ Glove potholder for women, and a patchwork Wizards’ Apron and Wizards’ Glove potholder for men.

Inspired by the witches and wizards of western myth and legend, Witches’ Kitchen bridges the gap between sorcerer’s spell book and mother’s cookbook, celebrating the arcane magic behind every succulent dish.



Posted by Rose Etherington

Subscribe to our Newsletter: Dezeen Mail

11 Responses to “Witches’ Kitchen by Studio Tord Boontje”

  1. Arch Says:

    the utensils -love them soooo much!

  2. martin sisack Says:

    it only took them a plain ticket to all the andes region to discover that… the same technic, materials, but of course, presented in a “gallery” seems to be the latest design trend, see that every day in the northwest argentina, peru and bolivia.

  3. martin sisack Says:

    sorry about the previous, didnt read the whole story.

  4. pia Says:

    I agree with Martin. I wonder if they are paying those handcrafters properly.

  5. pia Says:

    Same mistake, didnt read the previous article before writing, but I still wonder how well are these handcrafters payed.

  6. leandro locsin Says:

    when do we move on?

  7. tord boontje Says:

    Yes we absolutely pay the artisans properly, that is the whole point of this project, to bring work and an alternative to working for a good wage on a high quality product with their own craft instead of competing on price and quantity. The aim is not about consumerism and exploitation of workers but to see if we can develop a better future together.

  8. kolspur Says:

    Where can I buy the witches hands salad tossers? I love them!

  9. S. Ticho Says:

    Same request as Kolspur. I’d like to buy the witches hands as shown in the NY Times today.

  10. Kara Says:

    Moss will have the hands beginning the week of 5/5.

  11. tineke Says:

    is there a retailer in Mainz, Germany?

Leave a Reply