Sebastian Brajkovic is an artist and a designer from Netherland. With his works he
tries to describe every form of movement: he thinks that chairs have an anthropomorphic element that represents the idea of movement. The search of movement and then the representation of this movement with furniture is what
makes Sebastian Brajkovic’s work so original, unique and out of the box.
Tell me about you, who are you? What is your background?
I was born in Amsterdam in September 1975. My mother is half Indonesian and half
Dutch, and my dad is half Croatian and half Italian. I’ve studied cabinet making, industrial design and philosophy. I tried to enter an art school, but during the second round (they told me to do something practical first, hence the four years of cabinet making) . After which I got enrolled in the course of design at Design Academy, Eindhovan. Milan has a special place in my heart because of the Salone del Mobile.
What does your work consist of?
The starting point of my work is to search of a literal form of movement. I try to
describe it in many ways but always through furniture and especially chairs. For me
there is an anthropomorphic element in the chair that collides well with the idea of
movement. I see in a chair a body strong enough to hold a body, a non coincidental
parallel type of anatomy.
How was born the idea of making “distorted furniture”?
Out of nowhere, I started doing this thing in second year of design school. I kept
on doing it and a story of it unveils ever since, becoming more solid year by year.
“Everything that seems normal but deserves to be highlighted is a source of inspiration”
What kind of materials do you use when you realize your works?
I mainly use bronze, but sometimes aluminium as well because the pieces are heavy, monumental and with complex structures. I also work a lot with textiles and embroidery. My work lays close to fine-art so I do like to work with detail oriented designs and make parallels with the history of art. Museum and the atmosphere inside that of a museum acts as an inspiration.
Do you have a particular source of inspiration that gives you new ideas?
I have to be in a mood. I try to think of the direction of my next piece and then I
look and think of the most simple things that surround us. Everything that seems
normal but deserves to be highlighted is a source of inspiration.
“My work has a starting point in the search of a literal form of movement, I try to describe it in many ways but always using furniture and especially chairs”
Have you planned some exhibition where you can expose your works?
Right now I’m part of a traveling exhibition ‘Design by time’ in the USA, I’m slowly
progressing towards a new solo show, hopefully next year, I work mainly with David
Gill Gallery in London and Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris. Usually I have my
pieces over there displayed.
What is the biggest satisfaction you reach so far?
Having a piece of mine (Lathe-chair VIII) in the Victoria and Albert museum in
London for their permanent collection.
“I see in a chair a body strong enough to hold a body, a non coincidental parallel type of anatomy”
You have realized also some paintings. Did you use some particular technique?
Yes, I’ve been using Chinese calligraphy to study the idea of movement. It’s quick
and it reveals your auto graphic style.
What is design in your opinion? Because sometimes it’s seen as a form of art far from traditional things, or is something correlated to the everyday life?
For me art is a humanitarian, intelligent and entertaining experience. At its best it
becomes a metaphysical experience. You have to believe in the possibility of a
metaphysical experience or you will not feel it. It’s like a religion. Design is a more pragmatic proposition to the enhancement of the every day life. But at its best design becomes a metaphysical experience.
Design is a kind of art. What does art mean to you?
Art is the waste that refines and beautifies our existence.
“For me art is a humanitarian, intelligent and entertaining experience. At its best it becomes a metaphysical experience”
Follow Sebastian and his work on instagram.
Article by
Sara Orlandini
Images from