A Flip Flop Story
During a holiday to Kenya, Schneemann marvels at the 45,000 kilos of flip-flops that wash ashore on Mombasa beach every year. Inspired by a marine biologist who makes doorstops from these flip-flops, among other things, Schneemann produces a series of objects under the name A. Flip Flop Story : a vase with a drawer, lampshades, stools – and caused a sensation with it in 2011 at the prestigious design fair in Milan, where, amidst all the slick design, he displayed his Flip-Flop works in the middle of a pile of fresh, smelly flip-flops. Since then, his work has been shown at various design fairs and galleries at home and abroad.
Series
Schneemann operates at the intersection of furniture design, product design, and art. His fascination with old, discarded, and unique collections cherished by people for decades resulted in the Cherished series : cabinets and clocks made from matchboxes, imposing chandeliers from hundreds of perfume bottles, and a desk covered with cigar bands. As well as the Smurf Dynasty Ming Vases : large vases – the size of a Chinese Ming vase – made from Smurfs. Schneemann: 'Those old Smurf figurines were hand-painted in China. My association was very logical: blue and white and hand-painted in China? That has to become a Ming vase.'
Humor
Museum JAN is exhibiting pieces from various collections Schneemann created over the past 10 years, including the Lucky Dice series , for which he first attempts to roll a six. Only when they land on a six are the (tens of thousands!) of dice incorporated into the furniture pieces. This is done to capture luck, to create a lucky charm. In MashUp —a series of 3D-printed furniture—Schneemann combines elements of world-famous designs. Are you looking at a Rietveld or an Eames, or has it now become a Schneemann? He plays with and explores the boundaries of originality. Recognition and alienation intertwine. His recent work is more conceptual, such as the Permanent Collection series , an abstract 'tableau' made from Carmen hair curler sets, which museums without their own collection can borrow from him. His designs often elicit a smile from the visitor, and that is precisely what Schneemann aims for.
Value
The use of existing objects is a recurring factor in Schneemann’s oeuvre. 'My mother always said: “The art is to make something out of nothing.”' By utilizing collections, waste, or everyday objects, he adds a conceptual layer that transcends the sum of the parts. What is worthless to one person can become unexpectedly valuable to another. 'By letting people look at the objects used through a different lens, they discover new beauty or meaning. My objects tell a new story,' says the artist. In doing so, he calls into question the commercial side of the art world, which, according to him, often attaches an excessive amount of value to art and design. At PAN Amsterdam, Schneemann literally served up a pot of hot air.
About Schneemanns
Schneemann grew up in Maastricht and studied at the AKI ArtEZ Academy of Art and Design in Enschede. In 2011, he debuted with his first solo exhibition, A Flip Flop Story, during Milan Design Week. In 2013, he presented his 3D Mash Up collection there, followed by the Rubdish photo series in 2018 and his Cherished collections since 2019. His work has been exhibited at Galerie Rossana Orlandi Milan (since 2011), MPV Gallery (Netherlands), Axel Pairon Gallery (Belgium), Mint Gallery London and Rademakers Gallery Amsterdam, MOYA (Netherlands), PAN Amsterdam, PAD Paris, Nomad St. Moritz, Collectible Brussels, Salone del Mobile Milan, Enter Art Fair Copenhagen, and during Design Weeks in Milan, London, and Eindhoven.
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