As our understanding of art and design is finding new definitions and expressions with each passing age, Mathias Malm, founder of Malm Studio, presents a kind of aesthetic sub-genre of what we call avantgarde, along with the edge of Scandinavian philosophy and vision.

Let's begin with your upbringing within your culture, was it always in the city of Oslo? How did you find yourself drawn towards art and design?

I left Oslo for Denmark in 2015 at a ripe age, feeling like I had reached a little curb of personal growth. I had no intentions of becoming an artist of any sort. Traveling abroad was just so I could get interested in something new and distinctly different from what I was used to. Living through the early 2000's youth cultures of fringe "little" Oslo definitely shaped my taste. Cars, mopeds, hard dance, hip-hop, Von Dutch, jibbing (skiing), and J. Lindeberg belt buckle was kindof the Jam then. In many ways this period of my life is the most memorable to me, mostly because it was so distinct. I have tons of impressions from that time. Everything was just loud and fast. Combine that with the fact that my father always had one or two old cars he was working in the garage, definitely shaped my interests and idea of what I thought was attractive. It was only later I felt that it was okay for me to continue exploring this, and integrate it as a very explicit part of my expression.

At the time before I left Oslo I aspired to become an offshore engineer in the north-sea region. However I stopped my studies after contemplating whether or not this was my life's ambition. Around this time I became very aware that Norway is a very peculiar nation, and I suspected I had been living in a secluded bubble, just at the edge of the continent. Moving from Norway to Denmark was not such a creative leap though. I personally felt the common creative constraints of functionalism were visual in both institutions. It seemed to me like the dictating Scandinavian "know-it-all" philosophies from the 60's were still intruding. It wasn't before I moved to The Netherlands it kinda untangled me. There I found that projects could pass based on more than the main merit of the assignment. Because of this, I found a more gratifying way to create, by digging deeper into my own preferences and letting it be my own vision.

Studying design and focusing on products… What is it like to play around the concepts and tactalsing the objective? What are the complications you encounter?

There are always complications when making something, and if there weren't, you are probably doing it wrong. This applies to the theoretical part as well as the actual physical work. In any process, art or design, there has to be a motivation present. An intrinsic urge to reflect or do something, whatever the scale. Formulating a research proposal can be a brutal business, but a great way to develop. As well as accepting the shortcomings of any project encourages you to sit down to study yourself and the world around you. From conceptualizing to last finishes you always have to educate yourself in both theory and craft. This is probably the most motivating part for me, seeing myself getting better and more confident at what I do.

Digital and technological support in designing is one of the most exciting and integral parts to the times we are living. You use generative AI but are there any organic methodologies as well that you incorporate to your designs? Please describe your creative process.

There are many ways of using generative design. For me it became the principal link between naturally occurring phenomena and technology. The more I used the technology, the more I saw the same patterns in nature. This made me come to the conclusion that the awe inspiring equilibrium found in nature can also be found on a computer. In the end (as it turns out), it's just math. Usually I integrate natural occurring growth processes in my work, but I'm also very inspired by unpredictable mutations. The evolution if you will. I will very often try to visualize an outcome based on historical projection. Like how do you define what's trying to be eternal, like us humans, that is forever perfecting itself? Then I think you have to search for some sort of simplicity by using natural forms. It's a sort of art nouveau, graceful lines to create an enigmatic thing, almost ethereal. I will also spend a lot of time just sculpting to get familiar with properties of physical matter. The computer is after all just an extension and can't flawlessly do all the work for me. Which is why I need to have a bearing of physicality so my work can exist harmoniously.

When it comes to being inspired, what are the spaces and places you get inspiration from?

I have always been very close to nature my entire upbringing, and I've had no lack of mountains and fjords around me. So whenever I create something new I always draw inspiration from nature and the methodology that was used to explain it. One thing I've realized is that nature is never out of fashion. It's eternal yet fragile. This applies to both technical and aesthetic inspirations in my process. Now with that said, tutorials on youtube have been an immense help. For everyone unsure of where to start there is always an answer two clicks away.

Design as a form of art.. What are the degrees of explorations you go through before finalizing a particular look?

There can be up to a hundred tries before I get the right form. Tweaking of math formulas, color samples, renders, models etc. Doing quality checks such as weight and material constraints. There is a whole lot that goes into making just one chair. Most of the time I imagine my object to be rebellious teenagers, trying to break free from what they are intended for, yet at the same time falling slowly but steadily back into their place. It's very important to me that the first instinct people get when they see my work is one of uncertainty. Usually people tend to study my work before they use it. I think this comes from the uncertainty of what would happen if they approached it without cautions. Often I like to think this corresponds with a primal instinct or survival. If something is grotesque looking we decide to remove it from our proximity. Yet nature is how it is with all its shapes and forms, simply because it works. This is for me the beauty of it all, and also a good analogy for the design field. If there is an untouched niche, let the field spread and diversify. When it comes to choosing color it's always been a given to me that it's car paint. I've always thought cars had the coolest and most vivid colors out there, so why not use it in my designs?

Speaking of contemporary and modern.. What kind of places and spaces do you see your products to be fitting the best?

I could romanticize it being fitting in a forest or field, but that would not at all be aligned with the intentions which drive much of my work. The objects should be placed with the context of which they were designed. My furniture, even though strange, are still furniture. They could be used in someone's home, or simply be observed at a distance. I do consider them an ornament. The idea is that they break up the straight lines of a cubical interior. They look the way they do to trigger a reaction which is completely arbitrary to the viewer. Some people may like it, some don't, but regardless I always try to maintain a high standard of production, which I think makes them objectively attractive. A craft is something not to be underestimated.

What are the new concepts you are working on now, any other innovative processes that you are looking forward to working with?

The experimentation on organic shapes provides you with an infinite amount of possibilities, so you will definitely see more of that. As of now I'm also looking into material based diffusion simulations. So actually anything computational related. I am looking to do more grand scale projects which I'm really excited about, as well as smaller interior objects for those interested in a one of a kind artifact. My ambition is to continue making objects that references the visual culture and technological times we live in. Maybe one day it might become a footnote in the evolution of contemporary design.