Blue and Hurt

2021, 561 x 640 x 1125 MM, painted wood, sword, steel parts, marker

This table exemplifies the process of fabrication taken one metaphorical step further. In Van Eeckhoutte’s philosophy, this process is parallel to that of destruction. Original material is being ruined when creating something new, and once this something is complete, the cycle can start again. Van Eeckhoutte symbolises this with a slick, finished blue table, again at the start of the cycle of creation, and then entering that cycle again with the embellishment of a sword.

It’s a second opinion on 2017 piece Axe Included, which featured a neat table violently struck by an axe. 

Blue and Hurt features the same look and feel in furniture design and is made out of street found materials. The sword was bought second hand as an antique and refurbished.

The blue table is cut on one of the bottom corners of the chassis, and makes a display of balance as the sword leans to the other side, bringing it back to having basic table stability. 

Blue and Hurt’s underside is layered with steel plates instead of regular felt pads to demand a certain approach in use of the object. It should not be pushed or shoved around but instead be lifted with care, as to not scrape one’s floor.