Maarten Van Severen
People say that my work is minimalistic. But I don’t believe in the word minimalism. My creations are more about maximalism.
Maarten Van Severen (1956-2005) came from a tradition of craftspeople and artists. Accordingly, the combination of craftsmanship and artistry that characterised his work was instilled at an early age. After studying architecture, Van Severen started his own workshop in Ghent, where he designed, developed and built his first pieces of furniture in the 1980s.
In his designs, the Belgian designer Van Severen strove to achieve optimal perfection in form, detail and execution. He found this perfection by leaving all superfluous forms and materials out of his designs. His designs seem familiar and recognisable, even when we have never seen them before; they suit the way people live, and how the objects are used.
The result of the Leather Lounge Chair 2004 is refined, pure and honest. The Low Chair 2003 is a design that is characterised by simplicity. Together with the Van Severen family and Fabian Schwaerzler, Van Severen’s former assistant, work has continued on the design since Maarten Van Severen’s death.
