Bijin Davis creates products to convey sensorial and emotional experiences

Born in Japan and raised in India, Bijin Davis completed her undergraduate diploma from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in 2015 and worked as a furniture designer for a few years before moving to Tokyo to study interior design at Musashino Art University. Her work includes minimalist-inspired furniture and lighting resulting from explorations of light, water, shadows, and natural phenomena. ‘We engage with furniture or products in the space the most apart from people, so how do we make it more interesting? Just envision the possibilities,’ she says. 

‘For a Fleeting Moment’ mobile shelves by Bijin Davis

Davis’ graduate project, a series of ‘mobile shelves’, is the result of her desire to ‘create products with a sensorial or emotional experience, and not just static works’. She adds: ‘The experience and joy from interacting with products become the function of it, along with its given function.’

Her white bookcase’s minimalist design is brought to life through interaction between the elements, each shelf featuring a patch of neon pink or yellow at one edge, reflected on the surface below. This concept references what Bijin calls ‘the cultural desire for interaction’, as the project, she explains, was created as a result of life in isolation. “‘For a Fleeting Moment” tells the story of what life is like in isolation, but how it looks brighter in good company,’ says Davis. 

The shelves are made of aluminium composite board and pipes and the manufacturing process includes welding, waterjet cutting and spray painting to achieve the distinctive neon hues. The vivid colours give the illusion of each shelf being fitted with light, but the resulting bright shadows come from reflection alone. 

Bijin fitted the shelves with ball casters, to help the user push the product around easily. She wanted to make the user feel surprised by the gliding movement. 

India to Japan: creating between cultures

Growing up between India and Japan definitely had an impact on Davis' approach to design, but it didn't immediately strike her as an opportunity. ‘Being brought up between my Indian father and Japanese mother in India definitely had me confused when I was young, I felt like I could not fit in perfectly. I saw myself as half of two cultures, never a whole,' she explains. ‘But my mother once told me, “You're not half, you’re double”. And that struck a chord with me.'

Working in design gave Davis the chance to explore both cultures and approaches to life and aesthetics through her work. ‘Growing up in India, it was a world full of colour and elaborate design: it influenced me to like shiny things, colourful prints, patterns, and handcrafted products,’ she notes. ‘In Japan, it was a world of simplicity and innovative designs: it made me pay attention to small details and prioritise the material and technique of the craft, exploring new materials or using familiar materials innovatively.’

Davis’ work bears signs of this duality, with hints of colour and attention to the craft aspect of her pieces. ‘I’ve learned the value of collectivism from India and innovativeness from Japan, which helped me find a balance to create “For a Fleeting Moment”.’

Dream collaborators: Sabine Marcelis, Nendo, We+, Raw-Edges, Nada Debs, Studio Olafur Eliasson, Hem, Ambientec, Hiroomi Tahara. Lastly, my amazing mentors Yamanaka Kazuhiro (Yamanaka Kazuhiro office) and Ito Shinichi.

INFORMATION

bijindavis.com
instagram.com/bijin.d/

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