Jakob Niemann is an artist and designer living and working in Sweden. His work focuses on natural materials, particularly wood, and the intersection of technology, craftsmanship and sustainability. The objects he creates exist in a state of tension. They reveal new ways of seeing and working with renewable materials. His objects invite reflection on how we shape, extract and relate to the natural world, reminding us that we are always part of it.
What was the inspiration for your Steinbeisser pieces?
Fallen forest trees that rest gently on their own branches.
Describe your work in 3 words!
Inviting. Sharing. Elevating.
What kind of materials do you use and where do you get them from?
Discarded fir trees salvaged from the streets of Stockholm after Christmas.
Which conscious lifestyle choices are you making and are you considering any new ones?
I try to travel by train as much as possible and avoid taking flights. I am very conscious of my consumption decisions and the products I buy, and I try to think carefully about whether I even need to buy them.
What have you rebelled against in the past and what are you rebelling against now?
In the past, my projects critiqued the Swedish forestry model, specifically its reliance on monocultures and clear-cutting. Today, I rebel against cheap mass production by creating high-quality, handcrafted objects made from consciously sourced materials.