Why Design? - Gijs Bakker (NL)

“For me designing is a mentality, a way of observing, intuitively understanding by continuously questioning the subject and avoiding assumptions.”

Gijs Bakker (b. Amersfoort, 1942) trained to be a jewellery and industrial designer at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and at the Konstfack Skolen in Stockholm. He designs jewellery, home accessories and household appliances, furniture, interiors, public spaces, and exhibitions, etc. He has worked for companies such as Artifort, HEMA, Royal VKB, and ENO Studio. In 1993 he and the design critic and historian Renny Ramakers founded Droog Design, sharing the position of art and programme director until 2009.

Bakker has taught for over 40 years at various institutions of higher education; after 15 years of teaching at the Design Academy Eindhoven, he is now in charge of the Master’s programme, IM. At present, Bakker is working on the connection between craftsmanship and design in the Netherlands. A frequent traveller, Bakker lectures and runs workshops. A solo exhibition entitled Gijs Bakker and Jewellery has been on show throughout the world, and his works can be found in international museums and private collections.
www.gijsbakker.com