This new series, Design bites, unveil the backstage of contemporary creation. Tackling various topics from personal designer processes to the position of Collectible design on the global design market; these bites offer different views to suit all tastes. Today we talk with Koen van Guijze.

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COLLECTIBLE: What do you think about the position of contemporary collectible design on the design market? How do you think the contemporary collectible design market is evolving?

Koen van Guijze: It is a good thing that the term ‘collectible’ design is here, and is here to stay; collectible design to me is as important as a piece of art by renowned artists. Collectible design is very relevant for collectors and galleries to present the work of designers since designers make one-of-a-kind design pieces with the same cult status of art. Not only good to enjoy and to look at it, a design piece often has another dimension, such as the daily use of the good

“Too many to mention, I am afraid; I am mostly inspired by the great design minds of yesterday.”

C: Can you talk about a designer, whom you admire (designers) / Can you talk about a gallerist, whom you admire?

KVG: Too many to mention, I am afraid; I am mostly inspired by the great design minds of yesterday ; the Italian masters such as Gio Ponti or Carlo Scarpa to mention just a few.

C: Can you talk about a new piece/collection that you release for COLLECTIBLE SALON

KVG: The Bubble wall sconce is my latest on view for the Collectible Salon; a piece, brutalist as always, is a wink of an eye to the Covid hysteria that rules nowadays….. a bubble of 2 (the fixture has 2 bulbs inside) refers to the actual way of life, which I detest a lot….

C: What have you been up to recently? What are the next projects/exhibitions you wish to highlight?

KVG: We have been working on a chandelier for an entrance hall for more than a year; the piece will be like a necklace for a building, made by master glass blowers from Murano Italy. The installation is scheduled for the end of May.

About Koen van Guijze (Belgium)

Koen Van Guijze is a lighting designer with brutalist and minimalist roots working with ‘authentic’ materials such as steel, brass, concrete, cork, ceramics, sand, and paper to create one-of-a-kind collectible lighting pieces and site-specific projects. His approach to design combines brutalism with sophisticated attention to details.