Milan 2016: Dutch designers Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk's Physical exhibition showcases five new collections, including furniture that looks like drawings and products bolted together like Meccano (+ slideshow).
The presentation in Milan's Isola district during the city's design week explored "nature's balance, motion, warmth, light, electricity and construction", according to the duo.
Van Bleiswijk's Protopunk furniture follows the recent trend for design that looks like two-dimensional sketches, but in inverted colours so black lines are replaced with chalk-like marks.
Made from sheets of flat metal, the cabinet, lamp and chessboard were cut out using a blow torch before being welded together and painted with the white outlines.
Van Eijk has designed a trio of light sculptures that are turned on through a variety of interactions – including blowing on a mobile and sparking a flint. The pieces are made from branch-like structures and hold small lamps shaped like leaves.
Similar twiggy forms are featured in the designer's Civilised Primitives collection, which includes everyday objects such as mirrors, clocks and lamps made of bronze branches.
The designer's Conversation Piece was also included in the exhibition. The sculptural object comprises a hybrid desk lamp and office chair crashing into a walnut table.
Van Bleiswijk's Mechanic Constructions collection references children's construction system Meccano, and is made from individual hand-cut elements that have been bolted together. The series includes a coffee table, lamp and cabinet, each of which feature polished metal accents.
"Researching, experiencing and creating with your own hands is the best way to gather knowledge," said the pair, who work on both individual and collaborative design projects at their studio in Eindhoven. "This is the reason why babies from nature already experiment with physical principles."
"The physical act may be very present in the final result and actual existence of objects in an exponential growing virtual world," they added.
The exhibition took place at ZonaK on Via Spalato 11, from 12 to 17 April 2016 as part of this year's Milan design week.
Other exhibitions around the city included an installation of black and white marble furniture by Nendo and a showcase of classic Pop Art furniture pieces from Gufram.