cutting boards | set a

Muller Van Severen is infatuated with the material called ‘polyethylene’ and these cutting boards are a proof of that. “Unlike many other plastics, polyethylene doesn’t feel ‘dead’”, Hannes explains. “It has a soft feel and a certain sensitivity to it”. Initially Muller Van Severen planned to simply create a sculpture with this material, call it an ode. Along the way the sculpture became functionalized.

The result consists of a set of overlaying cutting boards that can be hung against the wall. And so, Fien and Hannes designed a kitchen utensil that doesn’t end up hidden in the drawer. Due to the organic shapes of the boards, the set forms an interesting contrast with Muller Van Severen’s other soberly designed furniture. “Although it looks like we came up with these shapes in a whim, they are one by one well thought through”, Fien says. “It was a process of minutely choosing which nooks and edges would be visible and which would be overlaid”.

It is not the first time that Fien and Hannes use polyethylene. They have already implemented the material in different racks, chairs and tables, declaring this material a Muller Van Severen evergreen. When it comes to uplifting this plastic to art, these cutting boards do a good job. “Nonetheless we do propose to hang it in the kitchen and not, say, the bedroom”, Hannes adds. “That would just be weird”. (Laughs)