Slabs Wall Cabinet

DESTROYERS/BUILDERS for Æquo.

Linde Freya Tangelder founded her studio Destroyers/Builders in Belgium in 2014. Her signature is remarkable as the control of shapes and her research on raw materials blend with perfection. It is in this momentum of perpetual exploration that in 2023, Æquo invites Linde to extend this aesthetic research to India. Equally passionate about craftsmanship, she begins her research on the technique of metal repoussé. This traditional and multicultural method involves shaping metal sheets over a form, sometimes in wax, sometimes in wood.

In her exploration of materials, Linde finds inspiration in the rugged landscapes of Karnataka in India, where granite stone boulders meld into each other, shaping new volumes from leftover fragments. Embracing a primitive ethos in her interpretation of repoussé, opting not for over-designing but instead allowing the intrinsic qualities of the material to guide her technique. While the architecture of central India guides her forms, the exploration of repoussé takes on an inspirational guise that leads to the development of a new technique. The principle of the traditional method remains, but its form is entirely reinvented; rather than using a thin sheet of metal, a thick surface of German silver entirely envelops hand-carved teak wood blocks, molded into the desired shapes. It is thanks to the innovative proposition strength of the gallery’s partner workshop based in Alibag, across Mumbai, and headed by Jeevaram Suthar, that this technique was born.

These blocks are then joined together through brass soldering points. The fusion of untouched welding reflects a commitment to honesty in the process, where details serve as a visual language. Wooden molds provide structural support, hidden within the final piece, while metal components are bound by the strength of the solder.