In 1997, I discovered a chair by Ron Arad in the first German edition of the men’s magazine “GQ.” I ordered a catalog from the Ron Arad Studio in London. The “Tom Vac Chair” in the carbon version caught my eye. Besides the organic shape, I was fascinated by the material carbon, which is mainly used in the construction of sports and racing cars and space technology. The “Carbo Tom” thus formed the cornerstone for my design collection. Since then, I have been searching for extraordinary design, visiting museums, galleries, and trade fairs — all with the aim of finding interesting objects for my collection. I usually make my selection based on design innovation as well as technical and craftsmanship.
The circle of design collectors is still small, so there are always surprising opportunities for contacts and encounters with the designers themselves. For the Swiss “Expo 2002”, the designer Frédéric Dedelley created benches made of woven willow for a pavilion on Lake Neuchâtel. Upon my request to purchase one of the benches, Dedelley asked the exhibition management for a few specimen copies. Without this little intervention on my part, all his seating furniture would probably have remained in possession of the pavilion sponsor.
I presented the collection of design objects in my former office space. I also use the exhibition space personally as an extended, external living room for relaxing or reading. Over time, the few design books have developed into a richly stocked specialist library. I consult the books for inspiration and research and also use the internet as an essential source of information.
The courage to take unusual paths to create something new is what characterizes “my” design artists. Creativity has nothing to do with Zeitgeist because visionary ideas must first be tried out before they can be realized. You also have to be prepared to accept setbacks because that’s the only way there can be progress.
Occasionally I am asked what will happen to all the beautiful pieces one day. To be honest, I don’t give it much thought yet. I enjoy my private museum every day, which gives me a lot of pleasure.
