At Random: Fabian von Spreckelsen

How does the fact that these pieces are unique in a series impact your work?

The pieces I have made were/are always unique, even when I make them in small series. Mostly I do not make more than 10. Each and every piece has its own charisma, energy, personality, patina or slightly other dimensions, even when all the pieces are the same size. I can make 10 of the same kind, but they will always look different in the end.

How do you think design is evolving nowadays towards the field of contemporary art?

Design and art have always affected each other in a way. Design is touching more and more the field of contemporary art. Which is a good thing. I like it when there is no restriction for creating an object, rather it is a design object or a piece of art.

Let these restrictions all go… and be curious about what could/will happen…

How are both interacting?

I believe it depends on each object’s own energy. It does not matter if this is a piece of art or a design piece. Both can strengthen each other and give the viewer a certain feeling or emotion.

Why do we have those two words, fine arts versus visual arts, that have been separated? Do you think they should be interacting more?

I do not know why they were separated…If I translate it to my mother tongue, we only have “one” word for it. “Bildende Kunst”. I do not know why “we” have to come up with these words “fine arts / visual arts”, just to distinguish ourselves or the others.

In the end, every person is an artist, you could be doing product design, doing architecture, doing fine arts/visual arts, doing sculptures etc. To me: We are all artists.

Is functionality an important consideration in your process?

Functionality is a big word. Functionality to me can have different faces. It could be practical in terms of being user-friendly but it could also have a “decorative” function like the HAREs that were displayed in the random collection. But, sometimes, the functionality comes with its own form.

How do you perceive your work both as part of The Random Collection and as part of your overall production?

First of all, I try to find the essence of the thing that inspires me. After that, I look for a way to express my view on the object, as I did for the “table”.

Everything I make is part of a bigger project and the vision I have. Every piece I make like the HARE, for example, is a part of the trophy room. I am giving myself the space to create an installation of 30/40/50… HAREs. Until then, people have the chance to collect some of these HAREs as individual pieces of art.

For the random collection, I made a new type of table and a bench with a completely new touch and feel, using metal in combination with organic handpicked leather.