Coral Shelf
Me among other students have been approached to make art for PAN Amsterdam 2024. The idea is to showcase a collection of art in a cabinet in the principle of a wunderkammer. This is obviously an amazing opportunity, to show my work at one of the largest fairs in Europe.
But having to showcase my skills and ideas on such a small scale would be a waste of a chance in my eyes, so I proposed to design and make a shelf in which all the work will be displayed, which has been received positively.
​
I took this opportunity to expand on my Coral Inspired Furniture
Process
I made use of the technique I innovated where I turn 3D prints into objects worthy of furniture. By printing the objects in parts and melting them together, I'm able to quickly construct any shape I want using my CAD skills. I cover these parts including all of its melting-seams with wood clay, a mass very similar to papier-mâché. This mass is vulnerable to water, so I also apply a layer of epoxy and paint.
This whole process allows me to construct tubes with a rough texture, which resembles coral.
​
These fine shapes certainly are eye-catching, but I do not want them to take the spotlight of the entire shelf. To prevent the quality crafted planks from fading to the background of the viewer's mind, I chose to paint the coral inspired parts black; this muffles the loudness of these parts in a way.
When on the theme of coral and it's urgent call for help, I chose to use circular wood for my planks from my part-time job at Stadshout Leeuwarden (see Stadshout Leeuwarden in the website menu for more information). I shaped the planks to keep their natural shape and rough texture, to really let the nature aspect jump out of this design.
​
I find the two contrasting materials, with similar background themes beautiful. Combining these two into a shelf of this starture with the privilege of being exhibited at PAN Amsterdam, would definitely be my proudest project to date.
