Following Didi NG Wing Yin’s materiality-oriented approach to wood, his latest design collection, ‘In between wood and fire’, seeks to reveal and celebrate wood’s inherent natural qualities. The material choice deliberately centers on solid-sawn 10x10cm construction lumber – rarely used in furniture making due to its tendency to crack and deform. However, the artist embraces these perceived imperfections, transforming them into defining characteristics of each piece. By employing a combination of fundamental carpentry techniques – including splitting, carving, and charring – the collection brings forward a raw and expressive language.

On display at Spazio Rosanna Orlandi during Milan Design Week earlier this year, the furniture and lighting collection includes five bespoke pieces – the Rocket coffee table, the Rocket side table, Pith floor lamp, and a pair of Pith stools. According, to Yin, this collection has a more humorous approach than his previous work. His work has always been inspired by firewood splitting for saunas in Finland, so he always want fire to play a part in his pieces. Through the different processes and experimentation, Yin’s works invite a renewed appreciation for a material that is often overlooked, highlighting the quiet beauty and complexity of wood in its most honest form.