Hem X Lisa Reiser: Dare to daydream
Moln is a dedication to the joy of daydreaming, designed by Lisa Reiser, hand-blown and silvered in Sweden’s glass-capital Boda. Moln, Swedish for cloud, is made of pink glass blown into a metal mold that is filled with liquid silver, giving it its scintillating mirror finish.
Curated by Arranging Things, Moln in Pink comes in a hand-signed limited edition of 35, made exclusively for Hem.
Photography: Martin Brusewitz
What inspires you to create a product like Moln?
I often find myself daydreaming and I think that it is both relaxing and fun. To experience new things in your own mind for a short while and then go back to normal life. For me, clouds embody daydreaming. In general I actually don’t know what inspires me specifically, it can be a detail or a really small impression that sticks with me. Sometimes I impulsively feel a big lust for doing something, and then I just do it. I guess I’m driven by lust.
What is your starting point for designing a new piece like this?
I often start my process with daydreaming when I do sculptures like this and wait until the form takes shape in my head. After that I get going at superspeed and I buy material and gather people and machines to make what I need. For this mold I drove to a steel factory to find the perfect big parts. At this time I didn’t have my own welding equipment so I borrowed that and with assistance of more hands we cut pieces with an angle grinder and welded pieces together holding them in the air.
Explain the craft behind this product?
The mould is in steel. I think they are easiest to make since I like to weld and steel is a very reliable material. The blowing technique isn’t anything new for Peter Kuchinke (Who has blown this collection). But every new shape has small challenges. Also two people are required to hold the mould when blowing. After the cloud is blown it rests in a cooling oven for approx 24 Hours. After that, the cold worker starts his job with cutting, grinding and polishing. When he is done, the silvering process starts. First, meticulous cleaning and then pouring the silver liquid inside the cloud, distributing it evenly. Then cleaning and drying, then signing and packing.
