Design duo Renee Mennen and Stefanie van Keijsteren, who operate under the name rENs, work collaboratively to produce research-led projects that seek to push the boundaries and go beyond the expected. Their investigative work starts with questions, which are tackled with whatever tools and processes are necessary in answering, or at least going someway in answering their initial enquiry. Much of their work challenges our perceptions of colour, which they tackle with a playful but interrogative art-meets-science approach.
We always keep an eye out for their work at Milan as well as their native Eindhoven and will be doing so this month when we head to the Saloni. Last years showing True Colours (above and below) offered an interesting examination of just what makes up a colour, using colour bleed to reveal the chromatic spectrum behind what is assumed to be a ‘singular’ colour: black. Much like a bruise, the outcomes highlighted that closer inspection reveals a beauty of colour mixing that goes beyond the immediacy of what the human eye sees.
Rood Wood starts with a very simple question: how do different wood species react to immersion in red pigment? To which the simple answer is, greatly, the Ash, Poplar, Oak and Mahogany offering very different shades of the colour across the grained surfaces.
Other projects, like Re-vive are carried out in collaboration with manufacturers, in this case carpet manufacturer Desso. Taking existing rugs the pair used traditional manual dyeing processes to create a varied collection of shades across each piece, every one becoming unique and renewed.
For more information on their fascinating projects checkout rENs website
