Leibal Blog

Havet

James O'Brien — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:47:16 +0000

Havet, designed by Karl Johan Hjerling and Karin Wallenbeck for Snickeriet, is a cabinet made out of pine. The surface treatment resembles a stormy ocean, created by combining traditional craftsmanship with an unconventional technique. The pattern is chiseled by hand using an angle grinder. Just like the waves on a windy sea, each cabinet created will be unique.

First this minimal piece is built as a classic cabinet, with right angles, and with all details and its interiors in place. The carpenters then chisel out the distinctive pattern – a process requiring as much time as building the cabinet itself. The pattern is carved on all sides and across all external details, creating a monolithic and sculptural gestalt.

I was immediately interested and mesmerized with the exterior finish. What I saw as Shou-sugi-ban [the Japanese technique of burning exterior cypress siding for protection] was turned upside down as I learned carpenters Gunnar Dahl and Karolina Stenfelt were taking conventional construction and giving it a twist with an angle grinder finish on the outside. The images of Havet are compelling as we see the contrast between the interior and exterior. They read harmoniously but come from two different worlds, making strong archetypal references in their contrast.

The work of Snickeriet [Swedish for The Carpentry] is profound in its simplicity. Complex in their aesthetic and robust in their stance on traditional cabinet making with a contemporary and boundary pushing twist.

• Material: Stained and lacquered pine. Steel fittings.
• Measures (h-w-d): 1789x860x380
• Price: 75 000 SEK
• Design: Karl-Johan Hjerling & Karin Wallenbeck