Men have invented four pieces of furniture: the bed, the wardrobe, the chair, and the table. But none of them shapes our lives as much as the table does. But why? Was there ever a time without tables? Many thousands of years ago, people gathered around the campfire to discuss life, or to eat and drink – today, the campfire has been replaced by the table as the center of domestic life. The mere presence of a table is inviting, a sign of community and hospitality. The more beautiful the table, the more enjoyable it is to use.

To round off the summer, a café bar has been installed in the gallery at Kannenfeldplatz, furnished by Claudia Wieser. The Berlin based artist has already designed several objects that could also be integrated into living spaces, but for this occasion she has designed furniture for the first time in collaboration with the German design brand e15: five different table top designs, a square made of 49 glazed tiles, supported by elegant frames, one normal dining table height and one cozy couch table version.

Claudia Wieser has enjoyed working with tiles for many years, creating mural reliefs or covering the surface of pedestals for her sculptures with them.
CW: “For me, tiles are a beautiful combination of painting and functionality, of visual and formal language, and there is also the special feel of the surface, similar to architecture”
And she goes on to say: “I like the freedom of limitation. The shape and size of the tile are fixed and there are only a limited number of glazes on the market that I must work with.”

 As a trained blacksmith, she has a strong connection to the craft and to working with fire and the elements of the earth. Claudia Wieser’s studio in Berlin has a kiln, and she paints and glazes each individual tile by hand based on a drawing for the design. During the entire process, she picks up each tile more than five times.

The titles of the different tables refer to the appearance of the surface, the colors and geometric shapes. Like paintings that you look at from above in an unusual way, they sometimes have a stimulating or calming effect and invite you to touch and use them like a playing field.  

Only at a second glance do you notice the asymmetrical design of the light and smooth table frame, as they are not centered, a feature e15 also used for other furniture creations. Each table is available in an edition of five, and the frames are painted black, white, petrol green, blue or made of chrome steel, depending on the model.

Furniture, everyday objects and jewelry designed by artists or architects have a long tradition as individual pieces, in limited editions or as series production.

 CW: “I like the democratic approach, anyone can buy it and you develop a completely different relationship with furniture than with a work of art.”