Kuperus & Gardenier | Fabric Animals

About Kuperus & Gardenier

Kuperus & Gardenier began as a carpentry and woodworking firm run by Jan Kuperus and Rienk Gardenier. From their workshop in Lelystad they take on a wide range of projects, from historical restoration to contemporary design. They are known for combining traditional craft techniques with modern woodworking. They were involved in the building of the historic VOC ship the Batavia and in restoration work for the Nieuwe Kerk in Groningen.

Working with Thomas Eyck

They also produce interior products and decorative accessories for designers, with their craftsmanship at the heart of it. That is how a long collaboration with Thomas Eyck came about, for his label t.e. of exclusive contemporary design. Often what they made were designs by Christien Meindertsma. After Thomas Eyck died in 2023, Jan Kuperus and Rienk Gardenier set up a label of their own and took a number of these designs into their KG collection so that they would not be lost.

Three animals from offcuts

The collection holds three textile animals, all three made from the offcuts left over when furniture is upholstered at manufacturer Gelderland: the Pigeon Service, the fabric pigeon with a pocket for a secret message; the Bird t., the small 16 cm sparrow; and the Gelderlander, the fabric horse whose mane is made from the selvedge of the cloth. Too good to throw away, too small for a chair: the largest pieces become pigeons, and what is left over is sewn into a sparrow. Because every piece of fabric is different, no two animals are the same.

About Christien Meindertsma

Christien Meindertsma studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven from 1998 to 2003, taught among others by Hella Jongerius. Her books PIG 05049 and Fibre Market made her internationally known. Her work examines the lifespan and the use of products and raw materials. Careful research and documentation, and themes such as local production and untapped raw materials, characterise her work. She also sets out to make the origin of everyday products legible again, something globalisation and industrial production have largely put out of sight. Sometimes the research itself is the end result. In other cases her investigations lead to commercial products. Meindertsma’s work is held in the collections of MoMA, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Vitra Design Museum. She has won numerous prestigious awards, among them several Dutch Design Awards, the Index Award and the Future Award. Read more about her work at christienmeindertsma.com.