The gestural, thought-provoking practice of the Dutch artist/designer Aldo Bakker is in the spotlight in New York City, thanks to a new exhibition staged at Les Ateliers Courbet in Manhattan’s Chelsea district.
The self-titled show, which is Bakker’s second solo presentation with the gallery, as well as on US soil, is a comprehensive display of new and recent pieces – many of which are in the permanent collections of institutions including the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Cooper Hewitt in New York.
Bakker’s signature approach to design and form is on parade here, but it’s the breadth of his design work and his longstanding collaborative relationships with master craftsmen such as Rutger Graas (wood), Sergei Kirilov (Urushi lacquer), Andre van Loon (silver) and Frans Ottink (porcelain) that brings a particularly exciting aspect to the exhibition. From the watery, emerald surface of the lacquered Le Lac table (2007) to the dynamic, yet perfectly finished form of the one-legged mahogany Stool (2006), each of the pieces is not only a testament of Bakker’s love for sensual, organic forms, but also infused with a movement bestowed by the master craftsman working with the material of the designer’s choice.
Silver Carafe, Limited Edition of 15, Les Editions Courbet by Aldo Bakker, manufactured by Wiener Silber Manufactur
There are also a wide array of vessels, of course; from the ergonomic Artifact (2013) in dark grey bisque porcelain to the stout, gold-plated silver pourer Pivot (2014) and the slender bone-china Pot (2015) in a sulphur hue – each inspired by our nature and culture, yet with a personality of its own.
‘Every time, a pouring vessel – that’s what I make the most,’ muses Bakker. ‘It’s a welcome topic for me because if you like, you can also compare it with ourselves; how we are guests on this planet, placed here for a while and then we’re gone. It’s a circle and that’s what happens with these vessels. Every time I question the relationship between the handle, the container, the spout – so far, this is a very welcome theme.’
Making its debut is a duo of silver carafes designed especially for Les Ateliers Courbet and made by the Viennese silversmiths Wiener Silber Manufactur. Formed by an assemblage of undulating lines that mimic the shape of the hand, the silver vessels, which have been skilfully hammered by hand, are imbued with the same dramatic tension that ripples through all of Bakker’s creations.
‘The original idea was to create two sizes [on the smaller side], but Aldo has kindly accepted to explore a larger size for me,’ explains Melanie Courbet, founder of Les Ateliers Courbet, ‘because I think with our life today, we might use a taller carafe more than we would used a smaller one, which is a beautiful objet.’
INFORMATION
Aldo Bakker is on view at Les Ateliers Courbet until 27 November. For more information, visit the Les Ateliers Courbet website
ADDRESS
Les Ateliers Courbet
134 Tenth Avenue
New York
-
Formafantasma’s biodiversity-boosting installation in a Perrier Jouët vineyard is cross-pollination at its bestFormafantasma and Perrier Jouët unveil the first project in their ‘Cohabitare’ initiative, ‘not only a work of art but also a contribution to the ecosystem’
-
Gingerbread City: architects sculpt London out of the season's favourite treatUntil December 29 in Chelsea, see London brought to life in a seasonal-appropriate medium by leading architects and designers
-
New Revox B77 MK III reel-to-reel tape recorder, and more cassette tape-based trickeryThe new Revox B77 MK III might be the ultimate analogue flex. In response, we’ve explored the outer reaches of cassette tape design
-
Design Miami 2024 is alive with possibility: here are 14 things to seeDesign Miami 2024 opens 4-8 December – let Wallpaper* guide you to the highlights, from dazzling installations to plump sofas and anthropomorphic sculptures
-
Nendo’s collaborations with Kyoto artisans go on view in New York‘Nendo sees Kyoto’ is on view at Friedman Benda (until 15 October 2022), showcasing the design studio's collaboration with six artisans specialised in ancient Japanese crafts
-
Italian craftsmanship comes to Los Angeles in this eclectic Venice Canals apartmentBoffi Los Angeles celebrates a juxtaposition of texture throughout a waterside bolthole
-
Design Miami/Basel 2022 explores the Golden AgeDesign Miami/Basel 2022, led by curatorial director Maria Cristina Didero, offers a positive spin after the unprecedented times of the pandemic, and looks at the history and spirit of design
-
Kvadrat’s flagship New York showrooms encompass colourful design codesIndustrial designer Jonathan Olivares and architect Vincent Van Duysen have worked with Danish textile brand Kvadrat on the vast new space, also featuring furniture by Moroso
-
What to see at New York Design Week 2022Discover Wallpaper’s highlights from New York Design Week 2022 (10 – 20 May 2022): the fairs, exhibitions and design openings to discover
-
Colour defines LA ceramics studio and showroom of Bari ZipersteinStep inside the multifunctional ceramics studio, office and showroom of designer and artist Bari Ziperstein, designed by local firm Foss Hildreth
-
Design for Ukraine: Bocci and Design Miami join forces to raise fundsThe online sale of iconic Bocci pieces will benefit GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, providing urgently needed humanitarian aid
