Unlimited Editions - Pieke BergmansThey are all shaped differently and every one of them is interesting. Pieke Bergmans prefers to see a few of her Unlimited Editions vases standing next to each other so that the differences between them become clearly visible. ‘It may seem easy,’ she says, ‘to create an entire series of ceramic vases that are all different from each other. But if you’re searching for beautiful shapes, it’s not that easy.’ Pieke Bergmans designed her Unlimited Editions together with Madieke Fleuren for the European Ceramic Work Centre. Arising from the desire to design a series of unique products, they began to experiment with the techniques they were already familiar with. In the end, an extrusion machine and a new mould were what helped them best in their search for new shapes. Pieke Bergmans (1978) studied graphic design at the Academy of Arts St. Joost in Breda; 3D-design at the HKA Art School in Arnhem; industrial design at the Design Academy Eindhoven and product design at the Royal College of Art in London. Starting independently after that proved to be a good move. This year, she won the Wallpaper Award in the category ‘best breakthrough designer 2007’. Typical of her working method is the way she manipulates existing production techniques to attain new shapes. Her source of inspiration can be found in all the techniques and materials there are, and this is what makes her work so surprisingly diverse. Her goal is to create personal objects for mass production, in which irregularities are permitted. Just as no two people are alike, Bergmans will never make two products that are exactly the same. www.piekebergmans.com