Milan 09: Dutch designer Bo Reudler presents Slow White, a collection of furniture and objects made from tree branches, in Milan next month.
Slow White will be shown at the Tuttobene exhibition at Lotus Garage, Via Savona 6, Milan from 22-27 April.
Here's some text from Bo Reudler:
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Bo Reudler Studio launches Slow White series during Salone del Mobile Milan
Tuttobene, Via Savona 6, 22-27 April 2009
SLOW WHITE SERIES
We tend to present nature in a controlled way: branches simplified into repetitive patterns, majestic trees trimmed into squared beams, flowers flattened into graphic motifs. Nature's complexity, randomness and rawness is tamed. We lost our connection with nature and our surroundings. This century will be about renewing this connection.
For this collection, I left my computer behind and ventured into the woods. I gathered fallen wood to transform into furniture. I started building again with my own hands, knowing everything that went into the process, working consciously, smelling the wood, feeling the structure, composing.
The branches were carefully selected for their distinguishing imperfections and curves. Following these shapes led me to the designs: the individual branches were numbered and the pieces are composed using the most beautiful combination of branches. These forms give personality to each piece which will always be different due to the randomness of each branch. All products are hand made.
Slow White chair
A low, elegant chair with high back constructed from a frame of intertwining branches as if holding hands. The idea to make a classical-inspired chair out of curved branches began the idea for the whole collection.
Size: 45x40x115 cm
Materials: Gathered wood (beech, birch, cherry or oak), recycled timber, white linseed-oil paint.
Slow White cabinet
With splendidly spindly legs and a tiny storage space, the cabinet is ideal for storing your most precious possessions: preferably a prized jar of honey or a golden compass.
Size: 50x40x155 cm
Materials: Gathered wood (beech, birch, cherry or oak), recycled timber, white linseed-oil paint.
Golden Compass
A compass carved out of a twig, showing the tip of a fountain-pen in place of a pencil. Not adjustable.
Size: 6x2x30 cm
Materials: Found wood, metal outer coating.
Slow White table
Historically, the shapes of classic table legs were derived from nature. Playing with that idea, these table legs use the original inspiration in its original form.
Size: 115x70x75 cm
Materials: Gathered wood (beech, birch, cherry or oak), recycled timber, white linseed-oil paint.
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love it. It is like emerged from Wonderland stories
i like it. it seems they are alive. it´s specially funny the Slow White cabinet.
zorionak.
this stuff is cool
I can see the pieces walking, the furniture coming alive. Wonderful result, beautiful process.
why the word slow? its really not anything to do with this beside a superficial use of wood and nature relation. In its self some weird hype word just like green
this reminds me of two other designers they also make lots of cabinets on wooden sticks.
its such a craft that has been techniques for quite a while in the design industry.
This is just stunning, using ones imagination something straight out of fairy tales. Coming alive right in front of you. I just love it.
I think the process and the images are better than the end result
I love the effect, it very much evokes German expressionism for me in its execution.
simple but really cool
it feels like a dream and i don’t want to wake up.
Wonderful objects, especially the cabinet. I am curious to know about the joints and how the flat, “non-branchy” parts were made.
Why you do all this effort in making these pieces. and you dont think about making more beautifull joints for the closet. they Look like cheap Praxis joints.
The design-by-not-designing approach is wearing a little thin. The designer’s observations are vaguely interesting, but then choosing an execution which tries to fit the carefully selected pieces into a predictable and tired aesthetic is too obvious. The cabriole leg, the balloon back chair…. it’s been reinterpreted so many times over the past few years, that it takes a brave designer to redeploy the archetype yet again. My doubts are cemented due to the efforts the designer has gone to to create an impenetrable shield of narrative, imagery and healthy dose of designer as lonesome crusader. Finally, the hinges used on the cabinet say a great deal about the person behind the work.
Maarten Baas anyone???
you don’t even need to put ….dutch designer before the name. everyone can see where this rubbish comes from
will someone introduce these dutch designers to a CAD application. seriously wearing thin.
”Slow White cabinet
With splendidly spindly legs and a tiny storage space, the cabinet is ideal for storing your most precious possessions: preferably a prized jar of honey or a golden compass.”
sorry but i live in the real world. get a clue bucko
So let me get this strait, the compass is fixed, right? This would mean that it only draws one diameter circle…does anyone see a problem with this? I can appriciate these pieces as art but not in a functional sence. Some better jointery details/photos would be nice and I agree with “the final word” about the hinges… I think Beatleguice and/or Tim Burtin want their home furnishings returned ASAP!
totally agree with The Final Word.
lonesome crusader who Forgot to look what is being going around for lasts years.
This style of working is far from exciting but more from a do-itself-style magazine
These pieces are so alive. If I were sitting in a room full of them, I would surely feel they were moving. I do have to admit that those hinges are a bit jarring. They force me out of my dream like state.
I understand the design aspect behind it, but what is the purpose ? I see no function in it, I see it more as piece of art rather than a piece of furniture. I can understand it being a piece of art, but why not desing furniture in a way that has a purpose and use for furniture. I see the concept, but I would like to a concept that can be shown throuhg the functionality of the piece.
Dear Dezeen,
could you please stop publishing works of art.
Is this nightmare before christmas furniture? (good for easter time, but not for us).
Where is the design here? Ok, the man has experimented with shapes, but what about function? I can see a 2 yo toddler smashing his head on the leg of that table. There is for sure a bad artistic attempt to work on a table, a chair and a cabinet. If you publish this ricycled and boring conceptual work (not designed at all) I can’t see why you don’t publish the honourable work of every wood worker who has been living on this planet since the beginning of time.
Research?????????? C’mon monkey, you haven’t been able to find a good pair of hinges!!!!!!!!!!!!
that’s what i thought (maarten baas) – but still different
earth actually has so much more to give to the thirsty & the respectfully-observing mind!…..
wow!…..touche’!
i hate this
it’s a genuine work of art!!!
with shapes, but what about function? I can see a 2 yo toddler smashing his head on the leg of that table. There is for sure a bad artistic attempt to work o