Ontwerp voor de haak van een paraplu 1874 - 1932

This is Mathieu Lauweriks's design for an umbrella handle, made using pencil and paper. I’m interested in the bare bones of this drawing, the material, and the process. The texture of the paper gives it away. It's aged, slightly mottled, and you can see the weave of the paper, all of which contributes to its depth. Look at the circular forms, faintly scored into the page to indicate proportions, these remind us that artmaking is a process of constant measuring, assessment, and adjustment. The bluntness of the pencil line that defines the form has an undeniable presence, which, to me, speaks to the simplicity of functional design. Lauweriks reminds me of Gerrit Rietveld, whose Red and Blue Chair pared design down to its essentials. This drawing encourages us to think about how form and function can become beautiful, even in the most everyday things.