Staffan Holm

The art of woodworking and a love for wood have been present for as long as Staffan Holm can remember. His dream was to become a furniture maker in his hometown. There, he realized that he could become a designer. Holm was accepted into HDK and entered a world that offered impulses beyond forms dictated by practical function. Feeling must be present in all projects.

Surprisingly, his graduation project was not about furniture but about the noble tradition of repairing broken porcelain with metal, as has been done for centuries in Japan and China. This continues now in more sophisticated projects – a broken stool leg is replaced with one made by a 3D machine.

Meanwhile, Holm supplies the market with minimalist products. Like the stackable stool Spin with its unique presence. The secret lies in the construction of the legs – molded and bent in two directions – a construction that hints at the creator tackling a solution that seemed impossible even on the drawing board.

Text: Hedvig Hedqvist

Staffan Holm (b. 1977) is the 2013 recipient of the Bruno Mathsson Award. He holds an MFA from the School of Design and Crafts at the University of Gothenburg.

The exhibition is carried out in collaboration with the Karin and Bruno Mathsson Foundation. The jury's motivation: "Knowledge of craftsmanship, materials, and the confidence to trust his feelings are parameters driving Staffan Holm's design practice. Like Bruno Mathsson, he masters the tools, has the power to elevate ideas, and the artistic boldness to push boundaries to achieve innovative, understated quality."

^{Photo: Kalle Sanner}

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