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With the confinement of COVID and the cancellations of fairs and shows Maarten has had to find new and innovative ways to continue to communicate his collections - such as with videos and animated performances to give a feeling of life. But there is no replacement for touching some of the design items. In the case of “


F th s”, another one of his series, we are talking about hand-knotted rugs from Nepal. Each piece takes ea er


about four months of work for a single craftsman. To clearly perceive the beauty of the materials and the human know-how invested in them, there is no replacement for touching them. You don’t necessarily have to present them on a huge stand. More intimate encounters can always do the trick. Certainly, the know-how of the Nepalese artisans or the Bavarian workshop where his stained glass


is made cannot be transferred elsewhere. These are age-old techniques passed on from generation to generation. Maarten has a Belgian network for leather, glass, marble … but also an international circle. “If I can use local artisans and reduce our ecological footprint, so much the better. Otherwise, I will seek my happiness elsewhere.” As a designer of interesting and unusual items for both beauty and practical use, Maarten does not


like to feel locked into a place, technique or style. “I don’t consider my status as a Belgian designer to be central to my approach. What interests me is exploring all facets of my craft.” “Some experimental research takes a long time: for example, the lamps that I have been developing


for more than two years with Atelier Mestdagh in Merelbeke. Alongside my work with stained glass, I have integrated other materials into them, such as marble. This exploratory process requires patience – which I don’t have much of, despite appearances.”


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