Oxidation Aftermath: The aesthetic of Handmade Industrials

Niche Chathong

Oxidation Aftermath (2015) is a material-experimentation collection by duo dutch designers Rutger de Regt and Marlies van Putten of studio HandMade Industrials. 

Rutger de Regt and Marlies van Putten

Within set boundaries mutation is being facilitated, enabling the unexpected to take place. Neutral materials, which at first seem to be unchangeable, are being transformed during the process of oxidation.

The collection has developed from the graduation project of Marlies at the Royal academy of Art in The Hague. The research focussed on creating a dialog between two materials. To facilitate the process neutral materials like marble, wool and ceramics were combined with copper, a liquid accelerator is used to start the oxidation process, which colour the neutral materials. 

Material experimentation process.

The Oxidation Aftermath collection contains:

Carrara Marble bench

Marble tiles connected with copper tube, the accelerator is poured into the copper tunnel and the copper oxidises. Holes in the copper tube connecting the marble creates a flow of blue liquid which runs trough the white marble turning blue. 

Carrara Marble bench. Oxidation Aftermath. Image courtesy by HandMade Industrials.

Carrara Marble bench. Oxidation Aftermath. Image courtesy by HandMade Industrials.

Rug (Icelandic wool)

The mishaps of the tufted rug were wrapped with copper wire and hanged in accelerator liquid. Due to the capillary action the liquid flow pass the copper, which oxidises and create a unique colour pattern. 

Rug (Icelandic wool). Oxidation Aftermath. Image courtesy by HandMade Industrials.

Surface detail. Oxidation Aftermath.  Image courtesy by HandMade Industrials.

Ceramic vessels

A special clay is used to extrude the vessels, during the stoke the fibers burn, facilitating the capillary action when placed into copper oxide liquid. When the vessels are glazed and finished a unique colour pallet emerge. 

Ceramic vessels. Oxidation Aftermath.

Image courtesy by HandMade Industrials.

Recently, Oxidation Aftermath was exhibited during Object Rotterdam in the ship the SS Rotterdam and also in Gallery Sis Josip. Now they both are expanding the Oxidation Aftermath collection with fabrics and tiles as well as working on the upcoming show in Milan during the Salone del Mobile 2016.

Materials: Carrara Marble, Wool, Ceramics, Oxidized Copper
Post-production: Anna Santera / Photo credits: Sidney Dobber