Bending Wood

This workshop focuses on the traditional technique of steam-bending wood. In addition to an indepth
craft course, we will spend a day in Grunewald forest visiting a forester, who will tell us
about the ecological reforestation efforts in her district.

In this workshop we learn about the traditional technique of steam-bending wood. We will combine and contrast this with a day in Grunewald forest, where we will meet a forester in her district. After a wildfire some years ago, she is taking an innovative ecological approach to reforestation, in which the forest can mostly decide for itself how it wants to regrow. Through different formats of play and input we will look at the changing relationship between Berliners and Grunewald.

After learning about local forestry and the context from which our working material is sourced, we will continue in the wood workshop. Here we will focus on bending wood, an old technique, that is still used today. It occupies a unique position between traditional craft and modernist design, where it plays an important role, for example in the furniture designs by Alvar Aalto or Thonet.

First we will conduct some test runs with a prepared setup, to understand the basic principles of steam-bending. Then, each participant decides on a shape they want to create, inspired by the time in the forest and the interplay of artificial and naturally occurring lines and curves there. While working on individual pieces, you have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with many essential tools and machines in the workshop. Wood bending is an explorative work, and rather than working toward a fixed goal, we will experiment with what we have. It’s a constant negotiation between our ideas and the possibilities offered by the material. This workshop will give you an indepth understanding of the steam-bending process, while also teaching you general skills required in an everyday workshop practice.

Schedule

Monday:

• Check-in at UdK wood workshop
• Going to Grunewald via public transportation, Heritage Bus Line 218
• Forest walk with Hannah Riedel, Forester
• Drawing and movement practices in the forest

Tuesday

• First Steps: Bending Wood
• Theoretical Input on principles and history of steam-bending
• Planning of individual pieces by the participants
• Working on wooden negatives for bending

Wednesday

• Continuing work on negatives
• Preparing wood for bending
• Preparing individualized tool for bending (Biegeband)
• First round of bending the individual pieces
• While waiting for the wood to dry: A tour through neighboring Tiergarten park, identifying trees and learning about the park’s history

Thursday

• Check-In: How did the first individual pieces turn out?
• Hybrid working situation:
• Participants can adapt the shape of the negatives for their pieces
• Participants can start sanding their pieces, etc.
• Second round of bending the individual pieces

Friday:

• Hybrid working situation continues
• summary and discussion of the results of the week
• presentation of the pieces
• final check-in

Equipment requirements

All technical equipment will be provided by the wood workshop. As we are moving in specialized environments, please note following requirements regarding your clothing:

Wood Workshop: Sturdy, closed shoes (no sandals!) and long trousers
Forest: All-weather clothing suitable for light hikes, daypack for water and snacks

Esra Nagel is an artist and craftsperson based in Berlin. They are teaching at the UdK Wood Workshop (Fine Arts Department). Their goal is to create a diverse and open learning environment and to provide space for both conventional crafting techniques and artistic exploration and play. Although working with a variety of materials, painting and woodworking are a constant in Esra Nagel’s artistic practice. Esra Nagel studied at the Weissensee Kunsthochschule Berlin and at UdK Berlin. Their work has recently been exhibited at Sox, Teile 2o46, Bärenzwinger, uqbar and Museum für Fotografie Berlin.

www.esranagel.de