Another day, another mask...

Who could have imagined this time last year that wearing a mask would become part of our everyday lives.

We now all have multiple masks in pockets, bags even our cars as we have to wear them everywhere we go.

While masks are still a relatively new part of our lives, the same cant be said of artist Bertjan Pot. He has been making masks since 2010…

Bertjan Pot's most well known product is probably the Random Light he created in 1999 and while I adore his lights and of course his chairs, it was his masks I wanted to share today.

Both the Random light and the Masks started as a material research, which is basically the starting point of each product he creates.

The outcome is usually an interior product showing a fascination for techniques, structures, patterns and colors. Most experiments start quite impulsively by a certain curiosity for how things would function or how something would look. From there Pot takes on challenges with or without manufacturers to explore possibilities and push the boundaries a bit. The reward for each challenge is a new one.

Although seemingly these masks tell stories, this again started out as a material experiment. I wanted to find out if by stitching a rope together I could make a large flat carpet. Instead of flat, the samples got curvy. When I was about to give up on the carpet, Vladi came up with the idea of shaping the rope into masks. The possibilities are endless, I’m meeting new faces every day.

The more we stay masked up and safe the sooner we can all get our little faces back out into the fresh air again…

Queen Marie

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