The Last Supper by Studio Job

Milan 09: a large, rusty, cast-iron dinner service by Belgian designers Studio Job is on show in Milan this week.

The collection is on show alongside two large lead-glass and rosewood sculptures depicting biblical scenes (see our previous story).

Together the projects form the inspiration for a twelve-piece, hand made dinner service and another industrially produced collection, manufactured by Dutch porcelain manufacturer Royal Tichelaar Makkum.

The project is on show at Chiostri di San Simpliciano on Via del Cavalierdel Santo Sepolcro until Sunday.

Update: see photos of the installation in our new story.

See all our stories from Milan in our special MIlan 2009.

Here's some information from Studio Job:

It is not easy to explain a new body of work. Many decisions and reasons identify an object. Some might label The Gospel as abstract and ﬁgurative.

For us it is essential. This work is not a concept. It is very realistic. If you would ask me now straight-forward what The Gospel exactly is about, then i will not be able to give a ready answer.

Especially while creating the 'body of work', there are matters which are more like 'questions' than 'answers'. It is born and lives but we still have to 'create' the end....

What Nynke, me and our team do know, is that The Gospel feels like a logical continuation of the cycle: Craft 2001, Oxidized 2003, Perished 2006, Silver Ware 2007, Home Work 2006, Robber Baron 2007, Farm 2008 and Bavaria 2008.

As always we have tried to gain, in our own way, creative victories within our oeuvre. Elements in our work that were still unsolved or untouched.

studio-job-the-last-supper-foundry-iron-by-studio-jobbox.jpg

One searches, i think, each time for a different way to visualize the leitmotif. It might just be that a composition is more expressive that a pattern, an object more important than a product and unique more impressive then massive. But strangely, the most impressive is often very common and the ordinary mostly so complex.

The Gospel

This is no protest or imputation against the body of religion. Respectfully these icons have been selected and designs.

Although that Nynke and me do not practice religion, we enjoy the incredible fatal and expressive drama's which are executed, immortalized in extreme inventories full of holy pomp and splendor.

We used the icon and religion as canvas and metaphor to visualize and express how our 'high culture’ becomes more fantastic by the minute. The abstract truth is more exciting than physical evidence. In many ways that's a great source of inspiration.

- Job Smeets, Antwerp, 2009