An exploration of geometry
- Ciprian handmakes wooden furniture
- His creations are inspired by nature
- He originally trained as an architect
An architect by trade, Ciprian Manda began his journey in woodworking over a decade ago, when he felt the urge to create objects from scratch with his own hands. The first items he made in his studio were a few high stools using thick tree trunk crosscuts; he still uses those stools today in his home. Ciprian works with hardwoods in order to create unique furniture pieces that remind us of nature and reflect its beauty. He considers himself privileged to be close to the wood and the tools that shape it, which is why his first ground rule is to treat the material with care and respect. He invests a lot of time in object design and detailed planning, capabilities he acquired while practising architecture.
Interview
- How is tradition present in your work?
- Durability is a hallmark of tradition and I try to infuse that into the objects I create. Many of my works feature wooden joinery, without metal fasteners. By understanding wood movement, such a joint is much more durable and beautiful instead of resorting to a faster commercial approach.
- What about innovation?
- Innovation comes when trying to do things that look simple and clean. I like using basic geometric shapes, which allow the material itself to convey the main message of the creation. To make it work, it sometimes requires serious creative thinking.
- How would you define what you do?
- My work represents an exploration of geometry through craft. I am proficient in using both hand tools and machines, but I am mostly interested in the final form, not as much in the technique. It is usually a combination of both to get a great result.
- What moment in your career stands out?
- Making a 6 m diameter table for an event in London. It was a tight schedule from the start and required processing 3.8 m3 of rough cut Nordic Pine, while simultaneously designing. After finishing and putting it in a lorry at midnight, we flew to London the next morning to assemble it.
Ciprian Manda is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2009
Where
Ciprian Manda
