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Mathias Bengtsson: Redefining boundariesIn recent years Bengtsson has gained acclaim for the materials he's explored in his quest to redefine the boundaries of design. "My work is often kicked off by the hi-end technology pioneered by the vehicle and aerospace industries." |
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Bengtsson's Spun chaise
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Born in Copenhagen in 1971, Mathias Bengtsson studied furniture design at the Danish College of Design. From 1992-93, Bengtsson attended the Art Centre College in Switzerland, then returned to Copenhagen where he formed the design collective known as ‘Panic’ with four other graduates. Panic’s raison d’etre was to give young designers a voice within the Danish furniture industry, and as a result, they succeeded in creating new opportunities. Bengtsson moved to London in 1996, where he enrolled in the product design course at the Royal College of Art, directed by Ron Arad. After graduating in 1999, Bengtsson collaborated with fellow Royal College of Art graduates in the design studio called ‘At the 3 Stroke' then went on to establish his own studio in 2002.
Bengtsson’s work began gaining acclaim internationally in 1998, when his 'Slice' and 'Homage' chairs were exhibited at Galleria Post Design in Milan. In 2002, Bengtsson’s work was presented in the Design by Aluminum exhibition held at the Design Museum in London. In 2003, the British Council featured Bengtsson’s work in the Great Brits exhibition held in Milan during the Salone del Mobile, which later traveled to Tokyo and Sao Paulo. The plywood version of the Slice chair was acquired by the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston. Philips, the New York Art auctioneers, exhibited and subsequently sold Bengtsson’s spun carbon-fiber chaise lounge in 2004. The following year, Sweden’s Röhsska Museum held a one-man show of Bengtsson’s work. In recent years Bengtsson has gained acclaim for the materials he's explored in his quest to redefine the boundaries of design. His point of departure from conventional methods was his decision to treat design as a site of exploration and a basis for research. "My work is often kicked off by the hi-end technology pioneered by the vehicle and aerospace industries," Bengtsson explained, "but when I’m working on something, I sketch it by hand and eventually model it in clay. I like experimenting with new design technology, but what interest me most isn’t just what the technology can achieve – it’s the mistakes that are left in the programming. Most designers believe that mistakes are something to be eliminated, but to me, it’s a chance to use technology to create something completely unique." Bengtsson also makes forays into the natural world, where he returns with a rich harvest of metals, woods, and carbon. Could these indicate a craft dimension to his work? "Natural materials have a unique presence that synthetics don’t. When I can, I spend my spare time kayaking in the ocean and hiking in the mountains," he said, "and I come back to my studio thinking about the textures and shapes I saw. That informs part of what I do, and probably why I’ve looked into using organic fibers and other sustainable materials. That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate manmade materials. I also like the vivid colors you find in acrylic and the metallic tones you get in carbon." It’s typical of Bengtsson to push the boundaries between form, built structures, materials and technology, and forge unexpected alliances between them. As Bengtsson builds bridges between the visual, the synthetic, and the natural, his use of materials continues to challenge preconceived notions of what design can mean. Written by Bradley Quinn |
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