Pieter Bostoen (°1983) is a multi-talented creative with a background in interior design. Since his graduation at the Luca School of Arts in Ghent he has been researching several fields in arts and design believing that good design makes a cross-over between different design disciplines. His studio Is Ghent based.
He recently founded ‘Antimaterie’ where he researches the ancient craft of ceramics and how to translate this into a contemporary context. A unique design language can be recognized. Graphical and geometrical elements with a clear emphasis on craftsmanship and combining traditional and modern techniques.
In 2022 Pieter Bostoen and Gilles Mayk Navangi joined forces. For this collaboration, they dug deep into their interests, motivations and worldviews in order to come up with a project that is representative of their respective identities. From there emerged the idea of making objects symbolising animals, while being related to nature and vegetation. To evoke nature and civilizations, earth seemed to them the most relevant material since clay is already a part of Pieter’s design tools. Ecology and the preservation of biodiversity is a subject that is close to their hearts. Through this project, the artists want to draw attention to the tragic fate of some animals due to profit and exploitation. These sculptures, vessels, look like totems that embody and pay homage to these animals in difficulty. These objects symbolize the harmony between fauna and flora, but also the connection and interaction of animals with each other. Pieter and Gilles selected several endangered animals that are symbolized in clay. The color scheme is inspired by these animals. The colors, patterns and textures are interchanged so that each animal is represented with a color that is not its own. It gives the impression of animals that are at a crossroads of different species. It is a way to evoke the dialogue and the filiation of all forms of life. In the end, these objects are vessels, totems, meditative sculptures, which advocate contemplation and benevolence towards the animal kingdom. and their relation to humans life and their need for profit and exploitation.