Werk It, Valentin!

At our sister gallery in Brussels, Spazio Nobile, the Season VII exhibition displays the work of Die Werkstatt, a collective formed by designers Damien Gernay, Kaspar Hamacher, Valentin Loellmann and Fabian von Spreckelsen and photographer Jonas Loellmann.

As part of our series on the group, we spoke with Valentin Loellmann about wood, craftsmanship and the role of fear in his projects.

TLmag: What is the most important thing to you about working with wood?
Valentin Loellmann: It’s a nice material to create contrasts with —I mostly use it in combination with another materials. It is soft and easy to shape… and, of course, it is very close to nature, which gives it a warm and natural touch.

In most of my pieces, wood is used as a base to be worked around later, so it’s mostly the starting point of every new piece.

TLmag: Is there, you think, a new appreciation for craftsmanship in the design scene?
VL: I am not sure… I hope so. I think more and more people are appreciating and liking craftsmanship again, but that doesn’t mean that they also look for it when it comes to the decision of buying brand-produced pieces or a unique handcrafted piece. It’s a very small scene, but it’s interesting.

TLmag: What’s the piece in the Die Werkstatt exhibition at Spazio Nobile that means the most to you?
VL: I like the bench in wood and copper the most.

TLmag: What unlikely experiment do you think has paid off the most for your career?
VL: Not being afraid of doing something that is not possible.

Die Werkstatt – Season VII is on display until May 13