Floris Wubben Breaks the Mould
With his ‘Pressed’ objects, innovative Dutch ceramicist Floris Wubben continues to push the limits of his materials by using a self-developed extrusion machine to explore their characteristics and their behaviour when being moulded.
“Pulled” and “pushed” are not adjectives one would normally use to describe ceramics, but in the hands of innovative Dutch designer and craftsperson Floris Wubben, such associations seem plausible. With his latest Pressed collection, developed with U.S. gallery The Future Perfect and Netherlands-based Sundaymorning@ekwc (formerly known as European Ceramic Work Centre), the dexterous talent has been able to explore and ultimately demonstrate a new technique that challenges the boundaries and dimensions of ceramics.
Available in a range of furnishings and home accessory applications, the cumulative collection stems from a holistic concept that seeks to connect the maker with his or her tool. Wubben custom-built a device that allows him to pressure-extrude large slabs of wet clay into various assembled open and closed structured forms. Resulting in different reliefs and rigged patterns, the bespoke works emphasize the role of human action; striking a subtle balance between precision and imperfection. The calibration of the action, the amount of force and orientation of movement one applies to the ad hoc instrument, determines the appearance of each outcome. The collective oeuvre represents a synthesis of the hand-and machine-made.
Working at the intersection of sculpture and object development, Amsterdam-based Wubben has dedicated the past few years to the exploration of how machinery and constrained process can determine the look and feel of his designs. This carefully considered, MacGyver-eque approach has produced fruitful innovations that don’t necessarily derive from the latest technological advancements. Rather, Wubben’s cultivated methodology champions a more transcendent focus; one that also looks to play with nature and natural elements. Though his limited works are visually striking and visually appealing, they also evoke hidden conceptual intent. The somewhat neoteric Pressed collection is no different.
This article was originally published in TLmag’s 2019 Autumn-Winter print edition “Contemporary Applied”
Cover Photo: Pressed Stool / Table 6
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