djim berger: lightweight porcelain collection

lightweight porcelain stools photo by ulysse fréchelin

dutch designer djim berger is a bit of a porcelain alchemist. his ‘lightweight porcelain’ collection reinvents the traditional material, offering a vision that is lighter and more resistant. the material’s technical performance is obtained by mixing 1 / 3 porcelain and 2 / 3 polystyrene pearls – something professionals thought impossible to achieve because of the high quantity of added materials.

once each piece is in the kiln, the fire burns the polymer and reveals the ‘new’ porcelain. almost comparable to a beehive or fossilized stone, the result is an object that is stronger than the standard porcelain, making it ideal for applications such as furniture.

djim berger’s ‘lightweight porcelain’ stools, available in four exclusive colours (edition of 10 + 2 AP for each color), and ‘lightweight porcelain bench’ (edition of 8 + 2AP), are currently on show at the galerie BSL, paris.

lightweight porcelain bench and stools photo by ulysse fréchelin

‘I have the feeling that although a lot has been accomplished in terms of materials so far, porcelain has been a bit left out, maybe because it is considered too complex or perhaps too precious. it is an ancient material and earns a lot of respect with its history and ways of surviving for centuries without losing the original appearance; the smallest details, the translucency, the colour, the sound, the magic of the process. it is a fantastic material to be able to work with. the goal of my work is to open the spectrum of porcelain. I experience it, make it take risks, I combine it to find new forms, colours or techniques. I just want to help it reveal its true potential; bring porcelain where it has never been before.’ – djim berger

photo by ulysse fréchelin

detail photo by ulysse fréchelin

photo by ulysse fréchelin

here are images of djim berger producing the ‘lightweight porcelain’ collection:

mixing the porcelain with the polystyrene pearls

color samples

color samples

inside the kiln

plaster forms of the ‘lightweight porcelain’ bench

pouring plaster to prepare the forms

almost finished pieces

stools

up close

drying in the sun

detail

finished pieces

djim berger refining one of his stools