OBJECTS
CREATING AND COMMISSIONING OBJECTS WITH CHARACTER THAT INVITE GESTURES TOWARD PRESENCE AND INNER WISDOM WITHIN THE RHYTHMS OF DAILY LIFE.
“Things obtain their resonant quality by being embedded in the totality of life, if they behold their agency and therefore can affect you in an unexpected way.”
Hartmut Rosa, Resonance
From the ancient, grounding gesture of washing one’s hands, to the curved path that forms a space of transition, or the sense of wandering (through a forest)—each of these invites us, through the body, into inner silence. How might such gestures become part of our contemporary daily rituals? How can they be embedded into the architecture of everyday life?
Bringing philosophy into practice, these objects are inspired by poetic, spiritual, and cultural traditions that guide us toward presence, stillness, and embodied wisdom. Grounded in ancient wisdom, yet shaped by the current.
Born from a desire to cultivate presence, and developed in collaboration with craftspeople and artists with whom I resonate, each object comes into being through a process of attention, care, and creative exploration. They hold presence and express character. They invite gestures of slowness, silence, and reflection - becoming actors within the spaces they inhabit, resonating through being embedded in the totality of life.
A sense of wandering through the woods is brought forth by a rhythm that embraces asymmetry, multiple paths to follow, and hidden doors and cabinets. Even after years, it continues to allow for a playful delight.
The semi-transparent sliding doors bring lightness. Referencing both ancient and contemporary Japanese traditions, they align with the asymmetrical wooden rhythm of the structure of the space.
The curved bookshelves stretch beyond defined boundaries, gently enclosed by the sliding doors. The textured plexiglass offers a subtle glimpse into their length. Their forms are inspired by the smooth rocks along the Norwegian coast.
Architecture by Studio Nauta.
Concept, design Slidinbg doors and bookshelves by Stephanie.
Manufactured by Atelier Ternier
WANDERING
(HALLWAY / BOOKSHELF)
A significant part of my research into the value of art emerged with writing my thesis for Sandberg Institute unfolding the connection between myself and the work which has had the most profound effect on me - The Teshima Museum. The research revealed how this encounter was hosted by an ensemble of gestures and spaces enabling me to arrive at a certain state of mind to be fully open and sensitive to the other, in this case the art of Rei Naito.
The most significant element is the way towards the Teshima Museum. It is is a crooked uneven path that guides you through intimate spaces and open views - the crookedness creates focus towards your steps evoking bodily awareness, and the scenery brings you to a calmer and enjoyable state. Coincidently the path forms a transition in states. This amplifies our sensitivity to the artwork. This originates from the roji, the pathway to the teahouse, where the path forms the transition from the busyness of the everyday life to a more present state of mind to arrive at the tea ceremony with full attention. The awareness of this significance for a transition is embodied in the Japanese culture.
THE WAY
WASHING HANDS,
AS A PRAYER
A sculpture, an embodied being, invites the ancient gesture of washing hands to become a moment of presence, a prayer within the rhythm of daily life. Sharing this intention, and brought to life with great care by the hands of May Liok, the sculpture came into being through a process that transcended our individual contributions. It now holds a quiet presence in our home studio and forms part of the hosting ensemble for the art ceremonies held there.
Concept and commission by Stephanie Schuitemaker
Art by May Liok
TEXTILE PARTITIONS
In Japan, sliding paper doors create a space with sensitivity and consideration, allowing inner and outer environments to breathe into one another. They invite an awareness of presence and boundaries that are gentle and respectful.
This textile partition began as an inquiry into how to bring forth such a way of being within contemporary life. What would it mean to design spaces that nurture attentiveness and openness? How would it feel to be held by textiles that allow light and movement to pass through?
The aluminium partition, designed by Johannes Offerhaus, carries this intention. Acting like an aorta, it connects the various wooden blocks of our home and forms both intimate and open spaces. It holds layers of textiles and sliding doors, and integrates a lighting system by Viabizzuno that illuminates the fabrics.
More than a design element, the partition has quietly transformed how we are with one another. It has become part of our daily rhythm, attuned to the shifting light and the seasons around us.
Concept and commision by Stephanie Schuitemaker
Design by Johannes Offerhaus
