In The Beginning
2008 was a wondrous road to self discovery. We discovered that we are at all times living in different dimensions, on multiple planes of existence. With roots in Suriname, Spain and the Netherlands, we are always connected to our rich and complex past, but we are also searching for what it means to be truly “home.” We live with a continuous noise; we are distracted by the tug of experiences we have had, the draw of widely varied ideals and we are restless for new pleasures. How will we achieve harmony? We have channeled our restlessness into creating beautiful things that mirror our history, pieces that guide our wandering path. And we created Royal Crème, an homage to our Dutch heritage, as the seed of our blossom.
The Elements
Gloriosa Lily a flower originally from tropical Africa, now grown mainly in the Netherlands.
gloriosa lily
The gloriosa is not like other flowers. Her coloring is brighter and is a mix of different hues. Her unusual petals are scalloped and fierce; like fire, they mesmerize, but suggest a bit of danger. The gloriosa is no wall flower, she inhabits a room and awakens it; she makes it come alive. She has presence, she has character. Her beauty is dynamic, her beauty is uncommon. Her petals are not beholden to their stems.
Smoke Chair “What happens to a piece of furniture when you treat it in a way that is neither a ‘should’ or an ‘intention’? – that was the beginning of Smoke. Instead of keeping a piece of furniture as it was, or trying to restore it to its original state, I burnt it. The shape and asymmetry were altered and the surface carbonized. I took care that the chair was still a chair, and in my opinion no uglier for its treatment. This new beauty …in a way was a sacrifice to enter a new chapter. -Maarten Baas
Maarten Baas Smoke Chair
We admire this chair for the many things it represents: darkness, rebirth, fearlessness, sacrifice, beauty. We believe that a process that uproots and inflicts damage and transformation can create something beautiful, remarkable, something forceful and unexpected. We give in to sacrifice for therein lies redemption. We thrill to enter a new chapter, we love that it includes this chair.
Heat Wave Radiator Designed with form and function in mind, this piece – big, bold and twisted – refuses to submit to its surroundings, emits more heat and upon closer inspection continues to reveal hidden details.
Joris Laarman Heat Wave Radiator
We like to be surprised. We like when things reveal themselves slowly. We like layers of meaning, layers of depth. We like that some things require more time, more patience, closer attention and being open to receive in order to enjoy it’s full offerings.
Beads and Pieces is the outcome of Jongerius’ and Artecnica’s commitment to design, craft and humanitarian causes. The collection is handcrafted by skilled ceramicists from the surroundings of Lima.
Beads and Pieces by Hella Jongerius
We like a world where we never have to succumb to the mundane. A world where every moment offers its own distinct small pleasures. And thus we cannot imagine why we would ever again eat out of a bowl not adorned with roses. We see a role for flowers in most things we encounter. We can imagine sort of living in an enormous garden, a place where everything draws upon floral themes, floral motifs. A Tord Boontje kind of world. How apropos that this project, intended to bring an alternative economic reality to its craftsman, makes us desire an alternative reality of our own.
Walking on the Moon by The Police
Sometimes a piece of music, a melody, the particular chord of a guitar, the beat of a drum, can be, for us, transporting. The movements of notes bring us back to a moment, and we feel that moment in our hearts exactly as we felt it then. This is what happened to us when two years ago we saw The Police. Shortly into the set we heard it. We were little again, walking to school in Spijkenisse, in the dark early morning hours after it had just snowed. The snow was piled high, as high as our shoulders, and the streets were fluffy pillows in white. It made us scared a little bit. In the darkness, in those early hours it was sometimes isolating. We did not know what was awaiting us in the big world. But then we would hear our favorite song playing in our head…”my feet don’t hardly make no sound, walking on the moon, my feet don’t hardly touch the ground, walking on the moon….we could walk forever, walking on the moon, we could walk together, walking on, walking on the moon…” And then, in that moment, things were okay, we would smile a little…