Can you share a story behind one of your most popular pieces?
LM: The “Chair Affair” is our most popular series. It started with me making chairs that could sit, do yoga, sing, and act. When Margriet and I first started dating, I drew little chairs “doing it together.” She responded with actual chair installations. We later developed it into a project for the Van Gogh House. We thought of Van Gogh’s secret affair story and made a Kama Sutra-inspired chair series. It caused some controversy, but we went ahead. We made nearly 100 sculptures, photographed them, exhibited them, and published a book called Chair Affair, with erotic stories inspired by the photos.
MC: My favorite pictures are always the ones with a story behind them.
What motivates you to create?
LM: I’m not very motivated; I’m quite lazy. But sometimes something pops into my head and I have to do it.
MC: Same for me. You have a thought and then feel, “Ooh, that could be nice.” Some ideas work, some don’t. Many never come to life.
What does art mean to you?
LM: Too difficult! But to me, it’s one of the most essential things in life. Without art, life would suck.
MC: Without art, the world would not exist as we know it. Imagine no music, no creativity. It keeps people sensible.
What’s the biggest challenge of being an artist?
LM: Storage. Taking care of all the stuff you make. And maybe doing Q&As like this.
MC Work-life balance is also a challenge. We run a restaurant and art space, and everything intertwines. Sometimes it’s hard, but I also like that overlap.
Where do you live, and does your place impact your art?
LM: We built a wooden house with friends in Eindhoven. The process was a disaster, but we moved in two years ago. Now we’re moving again, into an old Finnish school with a workspace. That will impact how we work.
MC: My studio is separate, but yes, living space always affects the work.
What advice would you give aspiring artists?
LM: Don’t think too much. Trust your gut. Believe everything you do is good.
MC: Be convinced of yourself, but also open to feedback.
What are you focusing on right now?
LM: Holiday! Swimming, cycling, cooking, walking the dog. For work, I’m focusing on engraving objects and painting.
MC: I’m focused on creating a new menu for our bar and preparing for Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven.
Do you have any future projects coming up?
LM: Some projects in Italy, and of course building our new house with a workspace.
MC: We also have friends in Thailand working on collaborations. A lot is in the pipeline.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received about art?
LM: My teacher Ari once said, “That’s nice, but it’s ugly… but you are ugly.” It taught me beauty is subjective, and you decide what’s good. He also told me, “The dog will give you structure,” when we got our dog. That was more life advice, but art is life.