The style of art sure changes over time; it sometimes entices and inspires us with the evolved materials and sophisticated tools of present times and sometimes takes us back to a time when an evoking mood, whimsy and nature were the drivers for any type of craft.
The Dutch company of Studio Floris Wubben produces one-of-a-kind pieces of functional art that are constructed out of driftwood; the innate practicality of these near sculptural pieces makes them doubly attractive, leading people to acquire them at substantial costs.
- The designer with his creation.
When a piece of beached wood or driftwood is picked up by designer Floris Wubben, he feels that the artistic work has already been done. By the minimal application of apt finishing materials and an improvised craftsmanship, he then merely goes on to get the most out of it to showcase to the fullest the uncommon perfection created by nature. Always keeping the utility aspect paramount in his mind he creates some of the most unique pieces of furniture and home accessories.
By constantly improvising and turning natural material that too derived free of cost, giving it new perspectives and uses, Floris is actually following clear green principles.
Talking about some of the pieces his studio has created Floris explains his choice of inspiration for the piece called the Eyrie Chair, “The nest of a bird is an inventive piece of natural architecture. As a designer, who works a lot with natural materials, I have always been fascinated by these structures. The Eyrie Chair is an ode to these natural constructions.”
- Inspired by the fungus seen when a pollard willow tree is split open; Floris has designed a room divider referencing it with the help of waste discarded by nature.
Workdays are always exciting for Floris, as he can travel around beaches and forests, picking up treasures, and then coming home and creating whatever his heart desires. For his piece called the Living Light, Floris requests his clients to use a flower like the Amaryllis and drape its stem over the LED bulb of the lamp created by him. The plant itself does not suffer from the light and is able to sustain normally via the water cleverly supplied by the lamp.
The studio’s design Tree Fungus is a room divider where two halves of a pollard willow tree, have been connected by a parasite-like structure. When a willow stem is opened you will find a lot of fungi and moulds inside of it. The parasite-like structure is inspired by these fungi and moulds. The pollard willow is a typical Dutch tree, but because of the rampant advance of construction projects, the tree numbers have depleted over time. Floris hopes his creation inspired by the willow, will now be that much more precious to his countrymen at least.
- The Upside Down Chair tends to be a conversation starter rather than a seat. In spite of its looks the design of the cavity is conducive to body comfort.
The Upside Down Chair is another favourite of the studio; it is made out of a willow tree. The legs have been obtained by twisting and splinting its branches and letting it dry into the final shape. The seat and back were naturally kept in line with the body’s silhouette. This project had been put in practice jointly with Bauke Fokkema.
- The lamp called the Living Light requires participation of the owner; a fresh flower’s stem may be draped over the LED bulb of the lamp.
The designs of Studio Floris Wubben, enable furniture and nature to co-exist together in complete harmony. One uses the other, since they need each other to create the whole and become the final product. The living qualities of nature have a constant influence on the studio’s works. “We try to use human intervention as less as possible and improvise with nature in a way that it retains its original form to a maximum.” States Floris.
He with his craft has the ability to reveal the organic charm and natural grace of every piece in a manner which gives his work its authenticity, its ‘raison d’être!’
Text By Mala Bajaj
Photographs Floris Wubben Studio
Contact :
www.floriswubben.nl
