maarten baas' carapace collection at carpenters workshop gallery defined by bronze patchworks

maarten baas’ carapace collection at carpenters workshop gallery defined by bronze patchworks
all images courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

maarten baas: carapace
carpenters workshop gallery, new york
march 2nd, to april 30th, 2016

carapace is a scientific term used to define a protective, decorative or camouflaging shell found on the back of animals such as beetles and turtles. this notion of creating a ‘hard skin’ to protect a soft body was the starting point for maarten baas’ furniture series that carries the same name.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ wide cabinet, 2016
bronze, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

the robust, curved volumes of ‘carapace’ draw on the dutch designer’s admiration of the 1950s refrigerator, combining these with organic forms found in nature. comprised of an armchair, desk, cupboard, small and wide cabinet, each of these pieces is characterized by a patchwork of bronze plating, dot welded piece-by-piece, forming the skin or ‘shell’ of the furniture, acting as a protective shield, similar to a turtle shell. collectively the pieces reflect the idea of the protective in harmony with the beautiful. it is enveloped by a hard metal exterior that consequently conveys the evolution of the very fine interior where treasure can hide.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ small cabinet, 2016
bronze, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

‘I feel it’s important to have a hard layer under which something good and fruitful can bloom up. the works explore the feeling of vulnerability up against the desire for development in the environment.’ – maarten baas

maarten baas
‘carapace’ desk, 2016
bronze, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery ù

an interview with maarten baas regarding his ‘carpace’ collection for the carpenters workshop gallery:

these works seem to have taken a different direction to previous collections. what influenced this shift?

I think my work is always moving in various directions. the ‘smoke’ furniture is quite different from ‘clay’ and ‘real time’ is quite different from ‘clay’ and ‘smoke’.

I always try to find ways in which I can express what I want to express at that very moment, however that may look.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ desk, 2016
bronze, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

you talk about the ‘treasure’ that can hide in a very fine interior. where did this idea come from?

I like the contrast between a very hard outside and a soft inside, something that’s fragile, something that needs to develop, like an oyster has in the most extreme way.

and every one has it, literally… ones’ heart is protected by ones’ chest, but also more psychologically, everyone tends to protect parts of themselves that are sensitive.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ steel armchair, 2016
steel, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

how would you describe your creation process?

years ago, my production partner bas den herder and I developed this patchwork kind of work for an interior of adam lindemann. that was made of car parts, so it had the color of the cars we used: red, green, blue…

now we have taken it a step further by making it in bronze and steel plates, and using some patina to finish it off. it’s a lot of work to make one piece, because every little plate needs to be bent and welded by hand.

it was very much carpenters workshop gallery who motivated me to really take it to the max to get the best out of it.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ steel armchair, 2016
steel, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

do you have a favourite piece from the new collection, and why?

with each piece I focused on different qualities to develop, so each piece has my preference for a variety of reasons. I like the surface very much, so the pieces with a large surface area, such as the big cabinet, are very nice.

the chair I like because of the contrast between the soft and fine upholstery and the hard metal structure. and the desk has a nice detail inside, a hidden drawer.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ cupboard steel, 2016
steel, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

how long have you been working on this collection?

if you count from the very, very beginning it has been several years. but from the moment we decided to go for this series of cabinets, chair and desk, it has been 6 months or so.

maarten baas
‘carapace’ cupboard steel, 2016
steel, dark patina
limited edition of 8 + 4 AP
image courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

can you name the biggest influence on your career?

the start was very important: ‘smoke was an immediate success. for me ‘clay’ was important to really find trust in developing further and of course ‘real time’ in 2009 was the real step in establishing my work in a stable way.

I’m glad I could develop this series as well.
I’m happy to add a self-portrait clock this year!

maarten baas with the ‘carapace’ wide cabinet