Guest contributor and European correspondent Lara Chapman visits ‘Coded Nature’ by Studio Drift at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.
The audience is sporadically positioned around the gallery, hypnotised by the kinetic sculptures performing their entrancing, electrical dance. The 10 flower-like silk structures drop from the ceiling, opening their textile bodies , then retract suddenly upwards, closing. They pause. Sometimes they move separately, at other times together. They are irregular in their speed and pauses, seemingly autonomous. In an indefinite interval, in which all the structures are motionless, I lean towards my friend and whisper, “Wow! It is so satisfying to watch”. Looking around the room I know that this feeling is unanimous. Each person is silently engrossed. “You’ve said that in every room!” my friend replies.
Why is all the work of Studio Drift so satisfying? It could be the level of detail and delicateness in every piece. The small surprises. The fine craftsmanship. But overall, I think it is the sense of slowness and calm that strikingly contrasts our high speed world that makes the exhibition so enjoyable.
The piece described above is Shylight. It is mechanical adaptation of the natural phenomena of nictinasty–where certain flowers have the ability to close at night. It aims to convey the changeability of nature. Shylight embodies the work of Studio Drift in its exploration of the relationships between humans, nature and technology. It took five years to perfect.
Established in 2007, Studio Drift is a collaboration between Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, who both graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2005. Their practice sits at the intersection of art, design and technology and is heavily influenced by nature and science-fiction. The duo are part of an ever-growing list of designers who have made a name for themselves in the unique Dutch environment – where the government has heavily invested in the cultural sector – and in particular, design. With this financial freedom, a typical style of Dutch Design has emerged, which is characterised by making-led practices that emphasise experimentation, playfulness and bespoke pieces. The works on show exemplify this exploratory attitude, pushing material and technological boundaries.
The exhibition also presents the largest ever manifestation of Fragile Futures, a lighting installation that the studio has been producing and refining since 2005. It is a three dimensional bronze circuit board with thousands of LED’s encompassed by hand picked dandelions. These are glued, seed by seed around each bulb to gently diffuse the light. The seemingly impossible delicateness of the piece inspires a sense of awe that feels far removed from the mass-produced bulbs of the global lighting industry.
The large gently titling sculpture, In 20 Steps, replicates the wing movements of birds in slow motion, creating a parallel between man-made technology and the biological mechanics of evolution.
These performative works demonstrate an original approach to design that stems from making-led research. However, apart from their beauty (which cannot be overstated), the works do not function on much of a deeper level.
However, the two bodies of work debuting at the Stedelijk – Materialism and Drifters – show increased levels of criticality, an exciting new avenue for the studio. While retaining the sense of wonder and attention to detail, these works offer new perspectives on our built environments.
Materialism presents block compositions of the raw materials and their ratios in everyday objects such as a bike, a vacuum cleaner, a grocery bag, a plastic bottle and, the centrepiece, a Volkswagen. The work is reminiscent of the food trend of deconstruction, where something is taken apart and presented in individual elements making it both photogenic and novel. Applying this technique to somewhat mundane objects does make them more aesthetically intriguing but, more importantly, it opens a space to ponder these objects in a new light. After the initial sense of satisfaction resulting from the perfect geometric arrangements, the effect of the work is actually one of shock. It renders strikingly clear how much raw material it takes to make a single product and, furthermore, the amount of energy and labour required to transform raw elements into consumables. This piece is particularly compelling as it extends beyond the exhibition, as further encounters with objects continue to trigger contemplation about their material, ratios and manufacturing processes.
The rectangular prism form appears again in the dramatic Drifter, a floating concrete block measuring 4 x 2 x 2 metres that defies gravity in a magician-like performance. The pair had the idea for a hovering block of concrete that would use drones to create an unreal illusion in 2008. However, drone technology was insufficiently developed for the concept to be realised. Despite, this they pursued the idea, and 10 years later, the result is surreal. The accompanying sci-fi-esque film, Drifters, produced with filmmaker Sil van der Woerd, shows the drifting concrete blocks uniting to create an alternative constructed world. The unnatural geometric perfection of the blocks contrasts the rugged landscape of the Scottish Highlands where the film is set, bringing the tension between man and nature to light. It questions the possibility of individual agency in the collective constructed world.
A particularly fascinating part of the exhibition is the prototype room, which offers glimpses of the thinking and testing behind the works. The drawings, models and videos show the many approaches used in each project–some playfully explore concepts, while other consider structural necessities and the mechanics of moving parts. Cardboard prototypes mark the beginnings of journeys. While 1:20 models show an idea almost realised. The room gives a sense of the thoroughness and perseverance of Studio Drift. It is exciting to consider where this attitude, paired with a newer criticality, will take the duo next.
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