Wood is the new gold at Design Vlaanderen

Technology has produced an endless list of new materials and fabrics. But even in a world of plastic, graphene and Kevlar, wood rarely gets overlooked or abandoned. “There’s a trend to go back to craftsmanship, using natural materials,” says Inge Vranken, the exhibition’s curator. “Wood is warm and full of life. And of course, it’s often chosen for environmental and sustainable reasons, too.”

The new exhibition came together by happenstance, says Vranken. Design Vlaanderen was approached by another design organisation that was planning to do something around wood. “There was going to be a book on woodwork and, while the other organisation planned to set up an international exhibition, Design Vlaanderen took on the role of showcasing the best of local woodworkers.”

Things, however, didn’t proceed as planned, and the book and international show were eventually cancelled. “But by then we’d gathered such a great selection of designers, we didn’t need the international frame to continue with our exhibition,” explains Vranken.

As it does for all its projects, Design Vlaanderen launched a call and subsequently selected some 30 designers, with their approach to wood the guiding criteria. “The most important thing was that wood had to define the use and the shape of their creations,” says Vranken. “The wood had to be visible, too, not covered by paint, lacquer or any other material.”

The result is an exhibition that offers an interesting mix of large and small items, with a surprising amount of diversity. “Of course, there’s a lot of furniture,” says Vranken, “but visitors will see some jewellery and industrial design, as well.”

Visitors should keep their eyes open, for instance, for Limburg designer Frederic Boonen’s cork garden accessories and the collection of ergonomic, wooden brushes (pictured) by the Ghent-based Adriaan Debruyne, designed for PDC Brush.

Wood: The New Gold
Until 13 April
Design Vlaanderen
Kanselarijstraat 19, Brussels
www.designvlaanderen.be