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Fritz Baumann

Fritz Baumann's sculptured seats are expressive studies of nature. His grand-father was a carpenter and the grandson grew up in his workshop with the smell of wood around him.

His expresive stools and benches are created in a reduced style showing Japanese influence. Fritz Baumann's favourite wood is oak. He always uses green, uncured tree trunks which he inspects to find the optimal form of the stool, which he then extracts with a chain saw.

Baumann brings the pieces in their rough form to his workshop in Munich for a long drying process, where the wood looses it's tension, can split and find it's very own form. These irregularities are just what makes these objects unique.

Also spalted wood, formed by fungus, gives a special aura. Baumann uses rust water to colour some of the stools black and uses hydrogen peroxide to bleach others.

He also emphasises the grain with a white lime wash. As contrast to the rough surface of the sides, he planes the seat completely smooth. If a split occures while drying he fixes it with dovetails. This welcome 'imperfection' becomes a special feature. The stool is like a favourite piece, which is polished with use and is even patched.

Fritz Baumann's unique pieces look as if they have experienced a lot - and that they certainly have.