Hannah Kuhlmann transforms furniture into dreamlike art
“Lucid Dreams,” the latest exhibition by German designer and welder Hannah Kuhlmann, explores the interplay between perception and reality through an immersive dreamlike landscape. Renowned for her sculptural steel lighting fixtures and furniture, Kuhlmann crafts a world where objects transcend their industrial origins, adopting a surreal presence that challenges conventional notions of form and function.
The exhibition invites viewers to navigate the space as one would traverse a dream—where the familiar transforms into the fantastical, and the mundane takes on new meaning. Inspired by the ethereal experience of lucid dreaming, Hannah Kuhlmann’s creations blur the lines between reality and fantasy, offering an introspective journey into the subconscious. Her approach to design reflects an organic evolution, where each piece transitions seamlessly into the next, embracing the unpredictability of freehand welding techniques.
At the heart of “Lucid Dreams” is the idea that objects are more than static entities; they possess a life of their own. Hannah Kuhlmann’s minimalist yet expressive sculptures take on anthropomorphic qualities, appearing less like inanimate furnishings and more like companions that share space with their users. The exhibition’s meticulously crafted steel structures, while maintaining an industrial aesthetic, exude an unexpected softness—some adorned with textiles that resemble couture garments, others featuring delicate embellishments that evoke a sense of fragility.
Collaboration plays a vital role in Hannah Kuhlmann’s process, and for this project, she assembled an all-female team to challenge gender norms within the traditionally male-dominated field of welding. Partnering with costume designer Holle Schlickmann, she reimagined conventional furniture upholstery, dressing skeletal steel structures in striking attire. Goldsmith Lisa Scherebnenko contributed jewel-like elements, adding a spatial dimension to lighting fixtures that shimmer with dreamlike delicacy.
The scenography of “Lucid Dreams” is both whimsical and contemplative. A dream stone mobile spins gently, while a brass star sculpture plays a nostalgic lullaby. Steel-framed chairs, beds, and sideboards evoke the skeletal forms of insects poised for metamorphosis, each piece carrying a distinct persona within this surreal narrative.
The “Pillow Queen” chair, adorned with flowing bows, and the six-legged “Bedbug” create a theatrical interplay between function and fantasy. Meanwhile, an oversized brass pendant light mimics the rising sun, casting a golden glow across the dreamscape.
Photography by Eline Willaert, Gladys Nganare; courtesy of St Vincents
