Kaspar Hamacher

Wood sculptor

©Filip Van Roe

The call of the wild

Kaspar uses only native wood from the forest
He trained in the workshop of cabinetmaker Casimir
He is a regular at the Salone del Mobile in Milan

Wood and fire: two natural elements that are antithetical, the latter causing the irreparable destruction of the former. Yet Kaspar Hamacher, a young wood sculptor and designer living on the edge of the forest of the High Fens natural reserve, has learned to tame fire and use it to create objects from wood. The forest is where he grew up, and to where he returned after graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Maastricht and living in Brussels for a few years. “The city really wasn't my place. I missed the woods,” he says. Today, Kaspar likes to use fire to experiment with charring techniques, but he also specialises in more traditional carpentry techniques, including chainsaw work and chiselling.

Interview

How do you integrate tradition in your wood sculptures?: Tradition is an important basis for finding new frontiers. I was born and grew up on the edge of the forest, in the High Fens, where my dad is a forest ranger. I want to bring nature back into the house because I feel that the distance between people and the forest is constantly increasing.
Do you work only with local wood?: Yes and also with other natural materials, like leather. I especially like to use the oak that I find near my home. I know where to look for interesting pieces of wood on which I can work directly. I try to highlight what no one sees.
What are you trying to achieve with your work?: Wood is a raw material and I try to make it airy, light. I also use the charred wood technique, which gives a special finish that I find extremely beautiful. My idea is not to create icons, but rather unique pieces that can be used from generation to generation.
What would you say to a young person who wants to be a woodworker?: Believe in yourself, make it a reality, be brave, fight for your dreams. Trust in the truth of the making. Look for beauty in the material, craftsmanship and new ideas. And be prepared for a lot of hard work!

Kaspar Hamacher is an : he began his career in