Contemporary jewellery and furniture
Gijs Bakker (Amersfoort, b.1942) was a Dutch sculptor, jewellery designer, furniture and lighting designer.
Education
Bakker is a jeweller, sculptor, furniture designer, and, to a lesser extent, industrial designer who studied gold and silversmithing at the Amsterdam Art Academy. He and his late wife, Emmy van Leersum, were pioneers in the field of modern jewellery.
Biography
They began in the mid-1960s by creating and producing aluminium collars and bracelets. They loved the material’s lightness and malleability. Still, they chose it principally because it was non-precious and of no particular class. During the 1970s, they expanded their work into art, performance, and sculpture. The human body became a significant aspect of the jewellery, rather than just the thing on which it was hung.
Bakker made some massive neckpieces out of colour pictures sandwiched between Plexiglas in the mid-1980s. These were both amusing and lovely examples of lateral thinking.
Bakker has been designing furniture since 1972, and he has also designed a lot of products. The strip chair (1974) and the finger chair (1976) are two of his chairs (1979). He, like the majority of design consultants, has always been adamant about not working for a single client. “The designer, in my opinion, should be someone who is outside the firm for which he works, who comes to understand it but remains detached,” he argues.
Summary of Interview for Dwell June 2010
The Essence of Gijs Bakker
Gijs Bakker, the co-founder of the influential Dutch design collective Droog, has played a pivotal role in shaping the Netherlands’ design ethos. His design philosophy is a blend of simplicity, playfulness, and well-executed conceptual thinking. Apart from his renowned work in industrial design, Bakker has also made significant contributions to contemporary jewelry design, emphasizing the core principles behind the creations over mere craftsmanship.
The Perfect Workplace
Bakker enjoys a harmonious work-life balance by residing and working in the same building in Amsterdam. His workspace is an amalgamation of lively atmosphere and intense concentration, situated conveniently by the Keizersgracht canal.
Creative Fundamentals
Central to Bakker’s creative process are the probing questions about the contributions a design could make to the broader design world. His approach involves scrutinizing the necessity, novelty, and impact of a design before proceeding. He admits that sometimes, the exploration reveals the impracticality or redundancy of an idea, but the exercise remains essential.
A Lifelong Commitment
For Bakker, design isn’t just a profession—it’s a way of life. He considers his time spent on activities like reading, thinking, and reflecting as extensions of his work, which he loves dearly. In Bakker’s own words, taking away his work would be akin to taking away his life.
Design Aesthetics
One of Bakker’s current preoccupations is the nuanced notion of beauty in design. He seeks a balanced triad of material, form, and meaning, rejecting the traditional ideas of beauty.
Dream Collaborations
While he once dreamed of designing a car with Droog, Bakker now values commissions from “honest people” as his ideal projects. His perspective has evolved to appreciate genuine collaborations over high-profile opportunities.
Inspirations and Influences
Musically, Bakker is deeply inspired by opera singer Maria Callas, whose interpretations he considers powerful and unparalleled. She represents a model of artistic achievement and passion for Bakker.
Moments of Revelation
According to Bakker, moments of insight often strike when he is at the gym, a space that he considers freeing for the mind. The concentration required for physical exercise paradoxically opens up mental avenues for creative thinking.
Looking Ahead
Bakker is eagerly awaiting a family exhibition at the Zuiderzee Museum, where works from him, his late wife Emmy van Leersum, and his son Aldo will be showcased for the first time together.
Gijs Bakker’s unique design philosophy and approach underline his standing as one of the leading figures in contemporary design. His multi-faceted contributions continue to influence and enrich the broader design landscape.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
Dormer, P. (1991). The illustrated dictionary of twentieth-century designers: the key personalities in design and the applied arts. Mallard Press.
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