Maarten Van Severen. Addicted to every possibility

Maarten Van Severen Addicted to every possibility

I liked Maarten very much. I had a powerful bond with him. His passion really was his work as a designer and as an artist. His approach to that work was extremely conscientious. Absolutely uncompromising. Doing something ten times over coming up with ten alternatives was better than settling for something that wasn t perfect. What makes Maarten s collection so special is his use of materials for specific applications that no one had thought of before. And not just one material. It could be bakelite or saddle leather or another type of leather or aluminium or wood or steel. Whatever it was, Addicted to every possibility refers to a song Maarten Van Severen s third son Boris made for his last birthday in 2004. The song is about his fathers extreme perseverance to explore every possibility in the process of creating his furniture. Maarten Van Severen got four sons: David (r) Hannes (l), Boris and Flor. he always managed to get out of a material all that was conceivably possible. I ve included the collection in our product line because I think the aesthetic quality of these designs is incredibly good. I think they re beautiful, and my personal definition of beautiful is in proportion. Everything in the collection is precisely proportioned. 3

We were real buddies. True friends. It s good to have a chance to do something like this. He died far too young, of course. Because of that, we re unable to see and experience the many designs that he definitely would have made had he lived longer. It s indescribably sad. I am grateful for the beautiful work Chris van Duijn of OMA did for the relaunch of the Maarten Van Severen Collection. It was very special to work with Chris again. He did an amazing job. I also want to thank Marij De Brabandere and the Maarten Van Severen Foundation for the friendship, the good vibes and the great support. I hope together we can conserve some of the beauty Maarten created and pass it on to the next generation. Maarten Van Severen flanked by Hans Lensvelt (right) and Chris van Duijn from OMA architects (left), working together on a shelving system for books at Seattle Central Library (March 2004). Hans Lensvelt Amsterdam, March 2014 4 - Addicted to every possibility 5

Maarten Van Severen s First Series were relaunched by the company of Lensvelt in October 2013. Lensvelt presented the collection in its canal house on Herengracht 178 in the historical centre of Amsterdam. On this occasion, OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) designed a scenery with trompe l oeil effects on the bel-etage. 6 - Addicted to to every every possibility 7

Although they are beautiful as sculptures, Maarten Van Severen s furniture pieces cannot be shown like unique objects on a pedestal, according to OMA. Maarten wanted the pieces to be absorbed in real life, in the interior of a family house, a public space or office context. Therefore they created natural backgrounds using pictures of Maarten Van Severen s own workspace and living room. 8 - Addicted to every possibility

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For the presentation at Lensvelt Herengracht OMA selected some of the most iconic works. But this narrow selection of objects would not give a good overview of his total oeuvre. Therefore they created in addition 1:10 scale miniatures of all objects he designed for his own label. Together they provide a beautiful overview of his work, and at the same time establish a relation to the real pieces. 14 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 15

S88 Small low, individual seat. The natural leather ages beautiful and gives the object a personal character. Material: base in stainless steel, backrest in leather and seat cushion in canvas. Available in black leather with dark brown canvas or in natural leather with white canvas. Dimensions: 50 x 65 x 66 cm. 16 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 17

Casa da Música in Porto (Portugal) is believed to be one of the most attractive buildings Rem Koolhaas ever made. In the auditorium of the major concert hall, Maarten Van Severen, Lensvelt and OMA created a seating system with a capacity of over 1200 seats. 18 - Addicted to to every every possibility Name Maarten furniture/project Van Severen - 19

S88 Dimensions: 50 x 65 x 66 cm 20 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 21

Maison à Bordeaux - OMA Interior including kitchen, elevator, library and bathroom by Maarten Van Severen 22 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 23

Marij De Brabandere: Maarten was a craftsman. He always had a studio of his own a personal laboratory for exploring the exact image he had in mind and for testing different ways in which to realize what he envisioned. He did all the work himself. He took courses in welding, so that he could make everything. In the process, he learned the limitations of the materials he was using, as well as the possibilities, because he tested everything. He started with materials that he loved. You could say that he was almost fetishistic about materials. He was very tactile constantly wanting to touch and caress the material. The aluminum table is not sealed with varnish. A great deal of sanding and polishing creates a more beautiful and layered look. You can almost see your reflection in the surface. That s something about Maarten s furniture that I find... that sometimes makes it seem almost invisible, because the pieces have such pure forms. Nor does the material demand attention... how can I say this... there s nothing arrogant about it. It s an honest, simple material that can disappear into the surroundings. 24 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 25

LC93B Low chair for indoor use. Light and easy to move around the house. Beech plywood frame with rear legs in aluminium. Seat and backrest are made from one piece of beech plywood. The plywood is finished with natural oil. 26 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 27

In 2013 the Maarten Van Severen Foundation in Ghent unlocked a unique database with over a two hundred sketches of Van Severen, who was known of his huge production of drawings. 28 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 29

Van Severen s tables, chairs and cupboards are totally stripped down and reduced almost to a conceptual prototype a simple hieroglyph. A table of his can stand exposed on an beach just as well as it can be enclosed in a loft, a medieval refectory or a modern conference room. It is about elementary things that have survived every revolution even the virtual one. 30 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 31

T88A Basic table in aluminium, suitable for work or dining table up to 12 people. High grade aluminium construction, sanded with natural waxed finish. Available in various sizes, rectangular or square. 32 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 33

RFC00 Rolling Filing Cabinet 1993. Aluminium. Dimensions 40 x 62,2 x 70 cm. 34 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 35

CN II Basic chair. Seat and backrest are made from one piece of aluminum or beech plywood. The plywood is finished with natural oil. Material: high grade aluminum or Beech Plywood, Oiled natural. Dimensions: 38 x 56, 2 x 82 / 45 cm seat hight. 36 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 37

Seattle Central Library, Washington (US) Together with OMA and Lensvelt, Maarten Van Severen worked on workstations, a reception desk and a hanging shelving system. Allthough the shelving system was never realized, the Seattle Central Library was the beginning of an inspiring collaboration between the three. 38 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 39

CK94 Stand alone cupboard, having the light designing the outline and color of the back. Material: aluminium and polycarbonate, sanded. Dimensons: 125 x 35 x 220 cm. 40 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 41

LC95A Low chair in aluminum for indoor use or white coated for outdoor use. Material: curved, sandblasted aluminum. White coated PU finish for outdoor use. Dimensions: 50 x 92 x 63 cm / 160 cm hight. 42 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 43

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70%T93 Table of solid bakelite, for use as an object or accessory. Dimensions 70 x 70 x 50 cm. 46 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 47

LT92 Low mobile table with storage in between surfaces. Access on three sides through different openings, accentuating the craftsmanship of the product and the sense of detail. Material: solid oak. Dimensions: 118 x 75 x 17,5 cm. 48 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 49

It is very tempting to call Maarten Van Severen s work minimalist. The apparent severity of his unadorned and often apparently geometrical objects certainly encourages such a view. Van Severen himself firmly rejected the label. He preferred to call himself a maximalist someone who unstingtingly devotes all his energy and resources to achieving the desired result. 50 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 51

Rem Koolhaas Doing things together was exciting. That doesn t happen to me very often. Working with Maarten was therefore also a sort of important moment in my own professional life. I knew I could rely on Maarten. He could create something that on one hand was extremely plain - but also highly imaginative. Maybe that was Maarten's intrinsic talent. Sometimes there was a kind of tension between the two. The special thing about Maarten was that he never said: that's not possible. Dutch Embassy in Berlin (GER) Reception desk and reading desks by Maarten Van Severen 52 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 55

Marij De Brabandere Currently, the production of Maarten s furniture is in our hands. His wood and aluminium tables, chairs and cupboards are being manufactured by Lensvelt. It makes me very happy, because Hans and Maarten were such good mates, on all levels. They liked to sit down together with a bottle of wine, to talk, to design, to draw and to figure out how to develop their ideas. Hans was very open when it came to Maarten s products. He loved them. 54 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 55

T88W Table of oak. The wood is treated with a washing of soap. Available in different sizes. AT92 Table in a composition of aluminium and bakelite, reflecting the research on the position of the legs, in order to create a floating feeling of the table top. Material: bakelite, aluminium. Dimensions: 225 x 90 x 72,5 cm. ST93 Table on a very fine steel frame with a silky smooth tabletop, suitable as work table or dining table for up to 10 people. Material: steel, sanded with top in epoxy resin, black. Dimensions: 130 x 130 x 72,5 cm. CHL95 Chaise longue. Material: polyester and aluminium. Dimensions: 180 x 48 x 60. Seat hight 25 cm. 2MB93 Hanging storage unit for books and objects. The essence of a storage unit in a frame. Material: aluminum. Available in different sizes. 70%T93 Small table in solid bakelite, to be used as an object or as an accessory. Material: bakelite, wax Dimensions: 70 x 70 x 50 cm. K7V90 Storage unit for every day of the week, reduced to its essence with an absolute efficient use of the material. Material: sanded aluminum with wall mounting system. Dimensions: 280,6 x 40 x 6 x 36 cm. LK94 Low mobile cupboard, to leave randomly in a room. A proportional object completing the space. Material: sanded aluminium cupboard on castors, with 2 or 3 gliding doors. Dimensions: 240 x 40 x 40. 56 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 57

K93 Fix storage unit leaving choice betweem an open or closed position. With 1 gliding door. Material: sanded aluminium. Dimensions: 200 x 40 x 15,2 cm. KS95 + KL95 Stand alone storage unit fitted to the exact dimensions of an A4 document holder. The structure is essential to support this function. Material: sanded aluminium. Dimensions: 100 x 33 x 200 cm. CN II Basic aluminium chair. Dimensions: 38 x 82 x 56 cm. T88A Basic table in aluminium, suitable for work or dining table up to 12 people. High grade aluminium construction, sanded with natural waxed finish. Available in various sizes, rectangular or square. Available in various dimensions. STK92 Stackable and simple, with noble materials. Material: maple with sanded aluminium back panel. Dimensions: 200 x 35 x 160 cm. LT92 Low mobile table with storage in between surfaces. Access on three sides through different openings, accentuating the craftsmanship of the product and the sense of detail. Material: solid oak on coasters. Dimensions: 118 x 75 x 17,5 cm. LC95A Low chair in aluminum for indoor use or white coated for outdoor use. Material: curved, sandblasted aluminum. White coated PU finish for outdoor use. Dimensions: 50 x 92 x 63 cm / 160 cm. LC93B Low chair for indoor use. Light and easy to move around in the house. Material: beech plywood frame with rear legs in aluminum. Seat and backrest are made from one piece of beech plywood. The plywood is finished with natural oil. Dimensions: 48 x 78 x 75 cm / 35 cm. 58 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 59

S93 Floating aluminum shelf. In the same finish as all of the maarten van severen furniture in aluminum. Material: aluminum structure with wall mounting system. Dimensons: 200 x 33,3 cm. CK94 Stand alone cupboard, having the light designing the outline and color of the back. Material: aluminium and polycarbonate, sanded. Dimensons: 125 x 35 x 220 cm. S88 Small low, individual seat. The natural leather ages beautiful and gives the object a personal character. Material: base in stainless steel, backrest in leather and seat cushion in canvas. Available in black leather with dark brown canvas or in natural leather with white canvas. Dimensions: 50 x 65 x 66 cm. RFC00 Mobile storage unit with a very strong sense of detailing on the outside as well as on the inside. Can stand alone or in combination with a table, it adds proportional functionality. Material: sandblasted aluminium. Dimensions: 40 x 70 x 62,2 cm. Maarten Van Severen 60 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 61

The Maarten Van Severen Foundation was founded in 2009 by the family and friends of furniture and interior designer Maarten Van Severen (1956-2005). The foundation manages his artistic heritage, makes it available and brings it to the attention of the public through exhibitions and publications. The first large project of the foundation was the assessment of Maarten Van Severen s archive, which is being kept in De Zwarte Doos, the municipal archives of Ghent. It is searchable through a database and image database on www.maartenvanseveren.be. The MVS Foundation is based in Ghent, the town where most of Maarten Van Severen s work was created. Marij De Brabandere, Maarten Van Severen s wife and co-founder of the Maarten Van Severen Foundation in Ghent. 62 - Addicted to every possibility Maarten Van Severen - 63

Colophon Editor in Chief Pleun Wolters Graphic Design Marty Schoutsen, Opera Graphic Design Photography Roos Aldershoff Lieve Blancquaert Kristien Buyse Jules Debrock Stefanie Everaert Bart Van Leuven Fien Muller OMA Printing NPN Drukkers Thanks to Geeraerd Bekaert Marij De Brabandere Chris van Duijn Eva Van Regenmortel Bartèl Kappers FRAME publishers Orvik Janssen 2014 Lensvelt The Maarten Van Severen Foundation 64