Forma Gallery and Ignant Unveil Their Evolving Spatial Dialogue With A New Editorial

Ignant and Forma Gallery’s second editorial both builds on and departs from their first collaborative photo series, shot in 2023 under the gleaming morning sky against the clean lines and stark shadows on the terrace of Lobe Block, Berlin-Wedding’s brutalist mixed-use landmark. In contrast to the strong focus on refined surfaces and sleek materiality that complemented the clean, concrete background – “lots of steel, wood, cool materials” – this second iteration took a gentler, more opulent turn, in response to its sanctified setting.

Hidden in plain sight in Berlin-Mitte, the sober façade of the St. Elisabeth Church, today a center for arts and culture, belies the spectacular light-flooded space that awaits inside. Designed in the Neoclassical style in 1835 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the sacred space was completely destroyed by fire in 1945 and remained a ruin for almost half a century until its restoration in 1991. Its patinated, light-flooded interior, characterized by the textural warmth of its monumental brickwork instilled with a suggestion of decay, gave “a very Venetian, romantic feel,” as Vanessa puts it.

The singular atmosphere of St. Elisabeth formed the point of departure not only for Vanessa’s selection of featured works – “completely new objects, new artists, no repeats” – but also their constellation. The dramatic interplay of light and shadow that slants through the space’s high windows became a defining feature of the scenography. “The space has a shell that gives it structure with these incredibly high ceilings. So while it’s framed, it feels limitless,” Vanessa says. Through the architectural elements – surfaces, windows – we were able to play with light in ways we couldn’t outdoors. The changing light and shadows added layers of emotion and unique visual elements.”

A focus on tradition-laden forms rendered in a warm, natural materiality – wood, stone, fabric – forms a throughline between each object on show. The fluid curves of paravents, tables and a chaise longue contrast with the strict geometries of seating pieces, such as Yellow Nose Studio’s jet-black stools from their ‘Indergarten’ series. A more decorative lean eludes an insistence on function, with sculptural forms purely intended to delight the eye adding accents throughout.

Calling attention to the value of artisanal traditions and lost handmade production techniques was high on Vanessa’s object selection criteria. “While it’s now called ‘collectible design,’ the concept of furniture design has, of course, been around for a long time,” she remarks. “The recent craftsmanship revival has produced stunning pieces that highlight traditional skills.” She emphasizes Eichkorn, a Black Forest-based atelier devoted to reviving traditional craft through a contemporary lens. Their sculptural bronze sculptures gleam solid, bearing the imprint of their makers’ hands.

High tactility equally informs the turquoise-glazed ‘New Wave Console’ of Maastricht-based artist and designer Lukas Cober, whose work takes inspiration from the dynamic energy of the ocean. “His material use is incredible, and his ability to transform something so seemingly static into an organic form is captivating,” notes Vanessa.

Undulations both scalloped and saw-toothed continue in the form of the paravent – “a flexible form with a long history,” as Vanessa notes. Alongside a wood-framed vintage model sheathed in cream fabric, a silvery hanging room divider entitled ‘Trout’ by Berlin design studio Teuber Kohlhoff displays a technique developed during a residency at Casa Ballandra in Majorca. “Their work often transforms simplicity into something artful, giving it an aesthetic depth,” notes Vanessa. “It’s interesting to see how a divider can define a space, allowing for both concealment and emphasis.”

The paravent was placed in dialogue with ‘Chair With Buoys’ by Touch With Eyes, crafted from fishing net buoys that stud its curved black metal frame, and a funneled vintage wooden lamp. Clemens’ framing of the trio has become one of Vanessa’s favorite images: “The way these elements work together with the historical floor and the background in the photo creates such a cohesive scene.”

A clutch of further vintage finds by Forma dances between eras to weave distinctive moods and materials into a cohesive whole. “We included a room divider, a chair, and a lamp from a different era, allowing viewers to experience how pieces from different times can form a cohesive space,” Vanessa notes. “It was important to me to have a combination of old and new, to show how individual pieces can define a room when placed together.”

Just as the Ignant and Forma Gallery editorial series seeks to spark new dialogues and reconsiderations of the relationship between art forms and metiers, its creators have found new synergies. “I think Clemens and I have a very similar aesthetic sense, so we rarely need to make corrections,” Vanessa says of the collaborative process. “It all just flows naturally; I’d say we understand each other intuitively. If I see that maybe we need a different perspective, or an object should be placed differently, he immediately gets it. That’s a beautiful thing, finding someone you just ‘flow’ with.”

The same goes for the dialectic between spatial composition, curation and photography. Vanessa reflects how the two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional objects helped her see them in a new light, instilling them with enhanced value. “Being in such a dramatic space, then capturing it, allowed each composition to shine in new ways.”

In its many constellations, from the considered to the intuitive, the editorial ultimately extends an invitation to the viewer to reconsider their own relationship with the objects they let into their homes and lives – their provenance, their creators, how and from what they’re crafted. “There are so many emerging designers whose practices are genuinely rooted in craftsmanship – where the pieces come from, the artistry involved,” Vanessa notes. “There’s a real need for appreciation for these objects. I think there’s potential to create a bridge to move away from mainstream furniture stores and integrate more unique pieces into everyday life. I love the idea of integrating them into the home. I’d like people to know these pieces are available for their own spaces, not just galleries.”

Ignant x Forma Gallery’s Editorial features the following collectible design objects:

Lukas Cober – New Wave Side Table und New Wave Concole SC
Kilzi – Mush Fiberglass Lamp
Teuber Kohlhoff – TROUT
Marbledworks – Jelly Table
Eichkorn – Arch Sidetable, Mono, Enos and Amo Vases
Turbina Studio – LLAVE-D Low Stool
Atelier Serruys – Galva Elipse
Lotto Studio – Up Rite Stool
Loes Beta GmbH – Petra Stool
Durst Objekte – Nagano Planet, Solaris, Planet in a Metal bed
Yellow Nose Studio – Indergarten Series
Touch with Eyes – Chair with Boys