GARDEN OF LUST
2023

Inspired by the pleasure gardens that already existed in ancient times, this pleasure garden becomes a planter for the blossom of pleasure, the passiflora.  

These „pleasure gardens“ were conceived as private paradises for the upper class, who forced nature into symmetry and geometrical shapes, producing s seemingly harmonious mixture of nature and the manmade, often ornamented by stone-cold gods, statues and myths displayed on pedestals. Hannah Kuhlmann and Delphine Lejeune shaped another temporary testing place for these ghosts of the real thing, placing an artificial offspring of the passiflora within a Lustgarten of their own.

–In collaboration with Delphine Lejeune

A wicked game we play, in the luminaire's glow, "Lovefool" it's called, and here's how it goes, Two hearts in the spotlight, an unusual pair, One's a wild jester, the other, honest and fair.

Chained together, an unbreakable link, A symbol of love, not as easy as you think, The jester's heart dances, in jest and delight, While the honest heart shines with enduring might.

In this whimsical world of love's funny scheme, Where jesters and lovers collide in a dream, "Lovefool" reminds us, love's a playful quest, With jesters and honesty, we're all doubly blessed.
–Chat GPT

  

SUGAR CARPET
2022

A Based on the Japanese craft of bonseki bonseki, sand/sugar painting appeared in England around the end of the 18th Century, during dinners given by George III at Windsor Castle. The technic was developed by Benjamin Zobel who created displays of unfixed coloured sands, sugars and marble dust arranged under glass upon the surface of the dinner table in decorative patterns and including fruit and flowers, and exotic birds.

The technic kept travelling within Europe and in the late 19th it mutated to a new craft tradition in Flanders. It was then custom to use a stiff broom to sweep patterns in white sand to form simple decorations on the tiled floors of the houses, mostly for special occasions or celebrations. The figures that were sprinkled are mostly natural, such as flowers and ears of corn.

In this workshop, Many-to-Many explored sugar patterns and representations based patterns inspired by the castle ornamentation and field trip research around the village.

–In collaboration with Delphine Lejeune





 

A diptych-reliquary crystallizing scenes from the legend of Saint Ursula and the eleven Virgins, Martyrs of the city of Cologne. Its trembling hand manufacturing, and shelter shape refer to Santa Ursula’s Goldene Kammer. A room fulfilled with shrines, altars and bones ornaments. Situated in Santa Ursula church on Ursulaplatz, and built upon an old Roman cemetery. A world in itself, built to remind us the value of life.

An edition of 12 pendants ( +2 AP) was produced for this exhibition. Each of the pendants is
a unique representation of one of the eleven Jungfrauen.

–In collaboration with Jenna Kaes

 

Why do people disrespect pigeons?
Just because they make a mess
Just because they huddle round your feet When you’re walking down the street
Just because they don’t sing a pretty song
It doesn’t mean that they are wrong
Look again
Their pretty necks have turquoise purple shiny green scarves
Purr like a cat they do
Fat necked king pigeon
I like you

By Niko Matthews
With help from Ava Bodroghy-West and Amelia Keeffe

–In collaboration with Delphine Lejeune

In order to escape the digital, immerse ourselves in the physical world and encounter with the genius loci – the spirit of the place, we form a dialogue between residents and environment, between everyday life and mysticism, between then and now. We are very happy to present the results of our 11–day expedition in the ruins of Kloster Stuben at the meandering river Moselle.

Socializing with the genius loci, its commonplace culture and residents. Intuitive designs, interwoven in everyday life, yet creating unexpected encounters to remember. Rather than constraining a walk temporal as well as spatial from A to B, we continue to move through our trajectories. Pushing, crossing, and sharing from regional going global going regional, growing alongside one another.  

First impressions of a new ongoing project called collection of reflection. Presented at “De Melkkamer” in Maastricht – the Netherlands. During the last Covid–Period in spring 2021 Anne Büscher and I swaped our showrooms and shared our current workprocess, because we where in deep need of exchange. “Collection of Reflection” deals with allowing yourself a moment of rest and connect with oneself to reflect on external circumstances.  

*LBYL stages a ritual that does not yet exist as such: Looking at one's own genitalia in mirrors that are explicitly designed for this purpose. Therefore, they make it possible to encounter one's own nakedness in a climate of acceptance, open-mindedness and thoughtfulness. They enable us to see our body in its entirety, to recognize it as part of our "self" and to develop new self-awareness – which in this sense can literally be understood as being aware of oneself. Thus, they reveal that objects of furniture are more than mere articles of daily use, since they materialize cultural conventions and create social encounters.

“Shades of Stainless steel” is a study of sculptures that plays with the viewers perception and allows to associate different similarities. The “light bulb” displays as metaphor for the “idea”. The series, combines different individual shapes that are combined again and again to form new ones and mime an evolution from one object to the next. All sculptures are created through minimalist sketches and are made of steel tubes. The focus is strongly on the naturally occurring deformation and curvature of the individual tubes that occur during free welding, thus criticizing the process of industrial production. Each sculpture becomes a unique piece through this process, because even when the form returns, a natural deformation remains.

The invention of the kitchen, centre of the domestic life,  as a place to prepare food goes hand in hand with the discovery of fire. Two pieces inspired by the Ancient Greek goddess of the hearth, the right ordering of domesticity, the family, the home and the state Hestia’s Kouzina titles two objects, a gas oven and a trown.

„BOB‘S BLANKS“ consits a skulptur–duo, an indoor fountain and a related sitting object made from stainlesssteel waterpipes. Improves Air Quality. When the water evaporates from your indoor water features, negative ions are released. These negative ions cleanse the air, making it more refreshing to breathe. The clean air also helps you think more clearly and focus better. Doubles as a Humidifier. Wall mounted and free standing fountains add to the moisture of the room, making it more humid. This is great to have when one is con gested due to a cold or illness. An increase in humidity is also good for your indoor plants, making them healthy and vibrantlooking.

Playing brings temporary wholeness into our imperfect world and our complicated lives. With playing, we discover our individual qualities and develope our personality. Inspired by the book Homo Ludens, first published 1938 by dutch historian and cultural theorist Johan Huizinga. It discusses the importance of the game element in culture and society. Huizinga suggests that the game is primary and a necessary (though not sufficient) condition for the generation of culture.