At Milan Design Week, Studio Job's polished bronze sculptures offer a dark narrative

Studio Job unveiled its solo exhibition, Golden Years / Acta Est Fabula, at Dilmos Milano for Milan Design Week 2024. Job Smeets, founder of the Netherlands and Milan based design studio, sculpted intricate art pieces which invited viewers on a journey of nostalgia, existential contemplation, and materials. The collection comprising over 24 new sculptures, reimagined classic works, and a new rug in collaboration with Nodus, were unravelled in two acts at the design week. The showcase will remain on display until April 30, 2024.

The first act, Golden Years, showcased Smeet's lavish and meticulously crafted polished bronze creations, contemplating the contemporary and surrealist themes. While each piece, from the royal Sword to the elaborate Worn sofa, resonates with grandiose, the artist’s work hints at a deeper unease rising from a darker theme. Transitioning to the second act, Acta Est Fabula which translates to ‘The Show is Over,’ Job’s collection reflects upon the "transient nature of design existence," as per the studio. Each artwork, from the evocative Last Call bell to the reinterpreted Coffin Collection, serves as a reminder of human mortality and the fragility of time.

STIR peeks into some of the key exhibits from the showcase.

With hand-painted human eyes, The Shark sculpture is a polished bronze LED lamp that takes a striking pose reminding visitors of the film Jaws. The Shark, like other animals in the exhibition, is depicted in a state of danger, reflecting nature's impulsive reactions before a calamitous event. The creature is set against a classical lamp stand to achieve contrast.

Worn is a polished bronze sofa inspired by Smeet's late friend, Jan des Bouvrie's Qube Sofa from 1969. The worn couch’s drapery and folds suggest a 17th century baroque sculpture. The artist’s attempt at contrasting ‘high and low culture’ in the model highlights legitimacy and imperfection in design, emphasising the different aesthetic and societal values associated with refined and popular artistic expressions.

The Coffin Collection features a series of coffin-shaped reinterpretations of Smeet's own furniture designs. The showcase incorporates traditional craftsmanship and advanced 3D milling techniques, by utilising local materials. The hand-waxed collection includes coffin chairs, coffin chaise, and coffin table carved in oak and polished in bronze.

Basalt is a custom hand-tufted rug, designed in collaboration with Italian carpet design company, Nodus and produced in India. Inspired by the flow of volcanic lava and prehistoric basalt formations, the use is crafted in wool, hemp, linen, and bamboo silk to evoke organic patterns and rough textures in each of its layers.

Job Smeets invites the visitors on a journey of reflection and anticipation by utilising various traditional and intricate techniques to encapsulate his existential thoughts. "The atmosphere I want to create”, he says, “is the moment before a storm, the alarm bell, the restless animals, the sword. I predict the story will be over like every story ends. The exhibition lures you in with its shiny polished bronze beauty, hinting however towards a darker story behind the pieces.”

(Text by Simran Gandhi, intern at STIR)

Stay tuned to STIR's coverage of Milan Design Week 2024 which showcases the best of exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands and events to look out for. Explore EuroCucina and all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5vie Design Week, Isola Design Week, Brera Design District and Porta Venezia Design District.