The new F51N by Katrin Greiling: with Danish traditional fabrics and new colors the designer develops the Bauhaus anniversary surprisingly colorful.
“I want to find the right balance – between the strict chair, between wood and a tactile fabric.” That could be the formal recipe manual Katrin Greiling has been using since 2018 to dedicate herself to the Gropius chair F51 and its transformation. But it’s more – it seems a little declaration of love for a chair that she passionately breaks down into three forms in order to keep changing it and seeing it anew. And in doing so, she hits the nerve of the times: combining tradition and modernity while creating lasting effects of surprise.
“It has the twist that Gropius would never have done,”
Katrin Greiling
Already in 2019, Katrin Greiling inspired with the color-accentuated F51N for the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus. Four years later, she is developing the theme further: Katrin Greiling is currently combining the high-gloss lacquer with tactile fabrics that create a strong statement in the hands and through their broad striped patterns. Stripes are a tradition – both at Gropius and at Tecta. For her fabrics, she has chosen a historic weaving mill in the north of Denmark: the Kjellerup Væveri, which is deeply rooted in Nordic tradition with classic furniture textiles. Patterns and designs have been developed over the past 30 years by weaver and designer Hanne Vedel. Characteristic of the work of the now 88-year-old is that she develops products at the handloom and in close contact with her material.
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Katrin Greiling came into contact with Hanne Vedel’s designs early on: “When I saw the textiles for the first time 20 years ago, I was immediately impressed by the feel as well as the unusual color combinations. I was practically waiting for the right project to be able to use them.” Greiling combines both the textiles from Kjellerup and Danish manufacturer Kvadrat with high-gloss lacquers on the new F51N. “When I work with color concepts, I always relate to the material as well and try to create a dissonance here. Cool color nuances in contrast to warm materials create an intentional tension.” The result is a subtle puzzle in which color, form and fabric form a surprising alliance. “It has the twist that Gropius would never have done,” Katrin Greiling admits with a laugh. “I’m a fan of slow consumption and thinking carefully about what you bring into the house. This is where furniture is created that will give pleasure for the next 100 years.”
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F51N: Price: 4350 € (www.tecta.de)