NEWSLETTER

issue 48 | September 2024

TRANSPOSE: Turning Ideas Around

This story is part of a sequel exploring Maruni’s designer Cecilie Manz, reflecting on her first exhibition in Tokyo, 2023.
Explore other stories: The Design Journey of Cecilie Manz, TRANSPOSE: Turning Ideas Around Vol.1.

The first solo exhibition held in Tokyo curated by Cecilie Manz envisioned her ideas in two places. The exhibition held at an Art Gallery “BABABA” offered four segments to explore.

The first segment was Arita, where Cecilie Manz’s connection to the world of porcelain traced back to her childhood in the ceramic area of Arita, Japan. Growing up in a workshop surrounded by charmotte, dust, and endless possibilities, this early encounter significantly shaped her path in life. Manz emphasizes, “Porcelain is a fascinating, universal material almost without age in use and techniques.”

A glimpse into Manz’s Copenhagen studio, known as ‘Tegnestuen’ in Danish revealed a creative space filled with joy, doubts, and moments of clarity. Reflecting on her studio’s work, Manz points out, “Often the path to the clear and final design is quirky and seemingly messy but it follows methodical work, intuition and meticulousness.”

The exhibition showcased a series of new objects inspired by Japanese atmospheres, behaviors, traditions, zakka household objects, crafts, and flea market discoveries. In the section titled ‘Måltid’ or ‘Shokuji,’ the setting of a table for daily meals became a significant marker of traditions and culture. Manz emphasized the universality of utensils, challenging labels like ‘certainly Japanese’ or ‘certainly Danish.’

Announcement

Explore the latest SHOTO COLLECTION designed by Cecilie Manz.