Geometric Poetry in Surface Design
Cubism
A Playful Nod to Czech Cubism's Angular Allure
Envision surfaces alive with fractured facets and isometric intrigue—where the rigid geometry of cubes deconstructs into dynamic dances of light and shadow, inviting spaces to pulse with modernist mischief. Tjep. Cubism, a visionary collaboration between Amsterdam's Studio Tjep. and New York-based Wolf-Gordon unveiled in 2015, reinterprets the early 20th-century Czech Cubism movement through a lens of contemporary elegance, transforming walls, upholstery, and drapery into canvases of sculpted abstraction that challenge formality and celebrate unbridled creativity.
Basis: The Foundational Cube in Woven Depth
At the collection's core lies Basis, a solution-dyed nylon/rayon/cotton blend upholstery textile that elevates a simple two-dimensional cube matrix into a tapestry of tactile illusion, where intricate weave structures impart profound three-dimensionality and depth. Frank Tjepkema, principal of Studio Tjep., began with this elemental form as his muse: "The cube is the most formal architectural shape imaginable—an invitation to break away from formality and live to the fullest," he reflects, infusing the pattern with poetry that turns functional fabric into a sculptural statement of liberated form.
Fragmentation and Baroque: Deconstruction's Ethereal Echo
Pushing boundaries further, Fragmentation floats ethereal planes of cubes across a gossamer Trevira CS sheer drapery textile, clustering in dense agglomerations amid vast empty expanses—like crystalline shards suspended in mid-air, diffusing light into prismatic whispers. Complementing this is Baroque, a digital print wallcovering on Mylar that heroically merges a classical damask motif with cubic decomposition, its customizable scale and colors—via Wolf-Gordon's WG Customs Lab—allowing bespoke symphonies of pattern that blend opulent heritage with avant-garde fragmentation, perfect for dramatic murals or enveloping accents.
A Milan Debut Marking Wolf-Gordon's Global Leap
Making its international splash at the 2015 Salone del Mobile in Milan's Spazio Rossana Orlandi, Tjep. Cubism marked Wolf-Gordon's inaugural branded presentation abroad, spanning four wallcoverings, upholstery, and drapery in a seamless fusion of categories. This milestone collaboration, sparked by Chief Creative Officer Marybeth Shaw's admiration for Tjep.'s sculptural prowess since 2012, embodies a shared ethos: harnessing conceptual depth to redefine interior surfaces, from intimate lounges to expansive lobbies, with patterns that evolve under the eye's gaze.
Tjep.'s Provocative Facets in the Cubist Canon
More than a collection, Tjep. Cubism is Studio Tjep.'s ironic homage to geometric rebellion: echoing the boundary-blurring spirit of our Oogst series and the emotive layers of Clockwork Love, it deconstructs the cube to reconstruct possibility, urging designers to infuse spaces with the thrill of metamorphosis. In Tjepkema's hands, Czech Cubism's angular legacy becomes a vibrant call to dynamism—proving that even the starkest forms can harbor the wildest poetry.
Sculpting Spaces, One Facet at a Time
Versatile yet visionary, it demonstrates that a single cube's fracture can redefine entire environments. Explore more of Tjep.'s transformative collaborations on Tjep.com, where we shatter conventions to reveal design's infinite depths.