This exhibition will present all the work and research of Charles Kaisin from 1999 to 2009 linked to two themes: motion and recycling.
Each subject will be generously presented by explaining the process of conception, the way of developing the objects and their production process.
Numerous research models will accompany the work produced.
Various pieces will be presented to the public for the first time, whether they are unique items for a private order, such as a very comfortable chaise longue, or a watch made in a limited edition of 2000 copies for Swatch.
New projects that are in the production process will also be exhibited, like the research work for a wine bar at the Sablon in Brussels, consisting of more than 7500 pixels of little pillows, and a banquette made up of pixels of wool pompons.
At last, the unveiling of new items from on-going projects such as the latest Val Saint Lambert crystal collections.
The theme of motion will unite the design objects.

The Staging
To present his projects, Charles Kaisin has chosen an enormous installation by a Spanish artist, Terre RECARENS, being shown for the first time in Belgium, and bearing the name of TERREMOTO, which means “earthquake” in Spanish.
This monumental installation consists of a floor of wooden lathwork, positioned Japanese style with a set of shelves.
When people walk over it, at the slightest movement the shelves are set in a motion like a pendulum and cause the glass objects placed above to jangle, or can even let them fall, because they are deliberately slanted.
This installation raises the question of possession, of control over nature, of human beings in their environment and of our impact on the life cycle of objects, both as they are produced and as they are recycled.



Charles Kaisin
It’s in the kitchen with his mum that Charles Kaisin’s vocation revealed, watching materials mingling and transforming while making cakes with her.
Graduating with a Masters in Architecture (Institut Saint-Luc, Brussels), he studied design at RCA, London under the supervision of Ron Arad then at Japan’s Kyoto University. The Japanese experience shall make a lasting impression.
Since then, he has joined the growing circle of Belgian designers having gained a reputation outside Belgium’s borders.
His work hinges on two fundamental notions: material stretching and recycling.
His well-known K-Bench, with its honeycomb structure, broadly exemplifies the stretching notion which allows the material to acquire specific proprieties. Hence, the object is very easy to use and certainly original.
Ladies handbags, which were made in collaboration with fine leather luxury House Delvaux, follow the same idea. His ÇPocketÈ bag remains totally flat when empty and when filled shapes into a welcoming pocket thanks to the use of extremely supple leather. As for the «Basket» model, it puffs up gorgeously as soon as you place an object into it, the alveolar structure allowing you to see what is hidden within.
Challenged, like many contemporary designers, with the issue of sustainable development, Charles Kaisin has indeed often integrated the notion of recycling notion into his work. His early «Containers», were first examples. Created out of the glass doors of used washing machines: taken from industrial design, these translucent pieces go back to the ‘manufacturer’ to be turned into soft sandblasted dish-shapes. Similarly so for the tumbler «glasses» made out of used bottles via a similar process.



The "Pingolingo" bag is another example of his will to work towards a better and cleaner design. For his "containers" and "glasses" he merely re-used existing materials. This time he has created a new material out of simple plastic pockets. After collecting, cutting and randomly superimposing the layers, thanks to a process mixing pressure and heat, he creates a new raw material.
The final look of his creations convey an indirect message: consume less! Indeed, it seems obvious through the logos and brands sometimes visible in watermark, Kaisin takes a swipe at our consuming society. This may seem paradoxical for someone whose Industry is dedicated to convincing us to constantly update ourselves.
Passionate about contemporary art, Charles Kaisin continues to work on the development of more experimental projects such as the "Hairy chair" which was shown at the "Design contre Design" exhibition at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 2007.
His fine touch could be regarded as a witty mix of strictness, eccentricity, aesthetics and passion.
Besides his designer activity, he has also planned a number of interior designs, as was the case with the Musée du Louvre or more recently with the Grand-Hornu.
Charles Kaisin is first of all a generous mind from Belgian design. Open to the world and to people, he likes quoting Paul Eluard: «Il n’y a pas de hasard, il n’y a que des rendez-vous» in other words, chance does not exist, only appointments are made.


New project
Val Saint Lambert I Mythical, magical crystal.
of the Val Saint Lambert Crystal Works had just been fired up. Val Saint Lambert would rapidly emerge as the epicentre of the Belgian crystal industry. For all the preconditions for a successful industry were met: the vicinity to the Meuse, a coal-rich region, a rail network, and even the enormous cloister facilities which were ideally suited for artistic and craft activities on a large scale.
Crystal connoisseur Val Saint Lambert presents its latest collections designed by Charles Kaisin. Mouth blown and hand cut, each piece reveals the rich tradition of the brand as well as the creative ambitions of the new owners, the Onclin family. Be among the first to discover the mythical magic of :

Pythagore, [Pythagoras] in proportion – Named after the Greek mathematician and philosopher, the “Pythagore” collection from Val Saint Lambert is a fine feat of crystal. For Pythagoras, everything consisted of the relations between numbers, the golden number phi being a special one – the largest of two parts is related to the smallest the way theentire line segment is related to the largest.
The ‘golden section’ characterises both the old and new architecture – from the Parthenon to Le Corbusier – and has also inspired Charles Kaisin to come up with a divine collection. Balance, harmony and a pure silhouette confer on “Pythagore” its unique character. The successive straight lines create reflections of the geometric forms that vibrate playfully through the fine, elegant sections.

Orphéo, talent tenfold – The combination of robust crystal with refined forms leads to a gem of a collection. “OrphŽo” showcases the art of crystal polishing as no other: the polished diamonds bolster the incidence of light tenfold.
This Val Saint Lambert collection strikes the mean between the classic and the contemporary, yet never fails to charm – just like its namesake, Orpheus, the legendary figure from Greek mythology. The most famous of the ancient poets and singers, he is considered as the god of music, whose enchanting voice and lyre could refine the manners of his coarse contemporaries, tame wild beasts, and even bring inanimate nature to life.

Kaléido, a magical show – The third new collection from Val Saint Lambert draws inspiration from the kaleidoscope, the reflecting rotating tube that fascinated us when we were children. A touch of magic, as it were, in which light is reflected in the mirror. These reflections create a symmetrical pattern you can have fun with by rotating the kaleidoscope.
Likewise, the “KalŽido” collection from Val Saint Lambert features a great many facets and aspects that you can go on discovering. The double coloured gloss brings out the nicely polished form that goes from a circle to a square on its own.




Assab One
Associazione Promozione Arte Contemporanea
Assab One is a non-profit exhibition space that has been active in Milan since 2002, when it was founded by Elena Quarestani.
It is located in an industrial complex that was previously the headquarters of a well-known printing plant, GEA (Grafiche Editoriali Ambrosiane). Assab One currently hosts exhibitions and events. The Assab One cultural association produces and promotes cultural and art projects.
The name Assab One comes from the building’s address, just a short walk from the Cimiano stop on the green line of the Milan subway system.
The neighborhood, like many other peripheral areas in the city, is in a process of change, looking for improvement and answers.
Assab, the name of an African port, becomes a symbol for a place of exchange among individuals, different cultures and realities.
Assab One is both a physical and a metaphorical space, open to the neighborhood and the city, engaged in an ongoing dialogue with artists, initiatives and institutions in Italy and abroad.


Event Coordinated by:
PS • design consultants
t. +39 02 36 633084
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