Wieki Somers : imagination and delicacy
As a talent spotter, Tectona has notably collaborated with the Studio Wieki Somers (Dylan van den Berg & Wieki Somers). Their projects bring together fantasy and rigour, comfort, function, technical prowess and poetry. Tectona was won over by their highly developed sense of form and lightness of movement, as evident in their vases. It was during a mountain break that Wieki Somers had the idea for her Grasshopper collection. Read on to learn the secrets of the fabrication of this timeless ensemble, consisting of two tables and a chair, launched en 2010.
What is the concept of the Grasshopper collection?
The willowy posture of this line is inspired by a grasshopper about to leap. We wanted to design a collection that would blend into a traditional or a more contemporary setting, with furniture made from durable materials, but also light and elegant, combining the solidity of a hammer with the immateriality of a sheet of paper. The perforations in the metal play with sunlight, allowing rain to pass through without leaving a trace. We seek wonder and the wonderful in everyday life; it’s up to us to reveal the hidden qualities of the ordinary
Two of Grasshopper’s distinct features are the shape of the legs and the green colour. How did you reach these decisions?
It all started with a grasshopper that we were able to observe from a close distance during a break in the mountains. Its long skinny legs pointing elegantly towards the sun and their gracefully inclined position inspired the leg assemblies of the tables and the chair. Forms both elegant and robust.
Our intention was to design a collection that looked light and was not overly intrusive, but at the same time sturdy, comfortable and stable. Of course the green colour of the collection is a direct reference to the colour of the grasshopper.
The collection also appears to be inspired by postwar modernism, a significant period in the history of design…
Indeed, the form of the grasshopper chair ―the slanting legs, the old-fashioned hue and a certain elegant simplicity― may evoke furniture of the 1950s. To be honest, we never considered these historical references while designing the pieces; it just goes to show that very often design surprises itself when accidental references become apparent…
Generally speaking, is nature a source of inspiration for your projects?
With its unpredictable forms and its ambiguous relationship with man, nature is an endless source of inspiration for us, more or less direct depending on the project. In the present case, grasshoppers were a direct source. They look fragile, breakable, like little branches, but they are also capable of creating a sort of incredibly refined camouflage for the purposes of protection, seduction and predation. So much complexity hidden in this tiny creature ― what an incredible design!
