Valentin Loellmann doesn't like to do what's expected of him. Nor does he like to follow the rules. "I'm happy doing things that you can't do," he says. Despite his refusal to toe prederminayed lines, this unconventional designers has built a flourishing practice and a devoted European clientele, for seductive pieces that balance provocatively between sculpture and furniture. Now Americans can see the work for themselves in his debut US exhibition that opened on the 31st of May at Twenty First Gallery in New York City.
Loellmann makes his debut at Twenty First Gallery in New York
June 21, 2019
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FEATURED & RELATED ARTWORKS
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FEATURED ARTIST
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Valentin Loellmann
Born in 1983 in Germany, Valentin Loellmann was influenced early on by his ceramic artist father and a bucolic rural upbringing growing vegetables and rearing horses. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht, Netherlands in 2010 and founded StudioValentinLoellmann, his Maastricht workshop, in 2015. His beguiling handcrafted pieces, fashioned from darkened woods bracketed with polished and patinated metal, conjure an atmosphere of refined enchantment composed of sinuous curves and expertly handled materials. Loellmann’s thoughtful design approach is evident in the smallest details of his creations, from smooth finished edges and harmonious wood and metal construction, to the coloration and texture of his surfaces. Guided by his attunement to a piece’s integration within its spatial environment, his designs are rooted in a holistic understanding of the influence of sensory stimuli on the emotions and the subconscious. Through his zeal for craftsmanship, Loellmann has developed a restrained yet fanciful sculptural approach that results in enduring works of art built for everyday use. The subdued contours of his organic modern seating, tables, and cabinets carved from charred oak, fumed walnut, brass, and copper evoke the austere simplicity of natural landscapes and handicraft traditions elevated through high end design. Loellmann’s concepts also extend to decorative sculptures of carved wood ladders and staircases with polished stainless steel siding, quietly impactful works that indicate his contemplative view of the relationships between interior elements. His work has been shown at Art Basel, Design Miami, Collective Design Fair (New York), and PAD Paris/London. He was awarded PAD London’s Best Contemporary Design Piece in 2013 and 2017. In addition to crafting his signature design pieces, Loellmann also works on interior design commissions for select private clients.
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