Explore ‘We Were Here’ in the Isola design District during Salone Del Mobile from 15th till 21th April. Get ready for a remarkable, collectible design selection curated by the Belgian designer Joris Verstrepen (organizer of the Belgian Design Pavilion) and the Dutch multidisciplinary design studio by Jiin Yoon. The worldwide selected designers are ready to show you around in their universe and leave their mark on this world through matter and texture.
Joris Verstrepen: “We Were Here’ is a cosmic journey that unfolds as designers become celestial architects of their own universe.”
The international selection of designers includes, amongst others the work of:
Nicolas Erauw (BE)
Who? Belgian designer with a primary focus on combining industrial manufacturing processes and raw materials in order to achieve unique and unexpected objects.
Object? Phytotelma vase (2023-2024) fits in a series of objects where a naturally formed cavity in a trunk of a tree is being used as a mould. This mould is used to blow glass and eternalise the hole as a ‘Phytotelma’, literally meaning ‘A water filled cavity in a terrestrial plant.
OHM Studio (FR)
Who? Two brothers, one cabinetmaker in his own workshop in Bordeaux and one art director in a luxury house, join forces to design and manufacture furniture.
Object? Bloc Chair (2023) - 1 metal sheet, 2 pleats, 4 screws - a story of blissful sobriety.
Maximilian Beck (DE)
Who? Studio Maximilian Beck aims to capture natural phenomena and the way light affects it in order to create collectible objects for living purposes.
Object? Glacier Side Table (2023) features a sculptural interpretation of the raw radiance found in eternal ice. With a subtle color gradient and a satin surface finish, the cast glass object has a unique responsiveness to light and shows itself in versatile appearances. The monolithic piece was realized using the lost wax technique and serves the function of a side table.
Nana Zaalishvili (GE)
Who? Besides her work as a lead architect at Idaaf Architects, Nana Zaalishvili creates sculptural furniture with a focus on research and experimentation with different materials and textures for environmentally friendly design solutions, as well as the history of Georgian architecture.
Object? Element Bulk Stool (2023) is one of the main items of the ‘Element’ Collection that was influenced by the Georgian traditional Oda House and the 'Construction Element' by Giorgi Chakhava, an iconic Georgian architect. Element Bulk Stool is made from a 200 years old wooden beam that once supported an Oda House. The stool revives a traditional Georgian construction method and translates it into a new language of furniture.
Verstrepen.studio (BE)
Who? Belgian designer Joris Verstrepen likes to push the boundaries of conventional design notions. His ideology is firmly anchored around four fundamental pillars: nature, imperfection, craftsmanship and the sensory experience.
Object? Traces of nature – candle holders (2022). The organic, textural, sensory materials contrast with the smooth, seemingly perfect industrial metals, reinforcing one another’s qualities. By juxtaposing these mediums the designer hopes to rekindle the lost connections we have with nature.
Full list of participants
Carol Gay (Brazil ) – Cuatro Cuatros (Spain ) – Emilija Povilanskaité (Lithuania)– Filth Collective - Joshua Woo (Chinese-Canadian) - Shao-Chun (Korean-American) - Jiin Yoon (South Korean)– Joe Slatter (UK) – Louis Barrett (UK) – Maximilian Beck (Germany) – Nana Zaalishvili (GE) – Nicolas Erauw (Belgium) – OHM Studio (FR) – Pepe Valenti (Spain)– Seoungjun Lee (South Korean)– Sheyang Li (French)– Timon Mattelaer (Belgium) – Verstrepen.studio (Belgium)
We Were Here – practical info
Date: April 15th 2024 – April 21st 2024, each day from 11 – 19h.
Location: Via Cola Montana 13, Milan (Isola design District)
