The Edelkoort Collection was born in Eindhoven from engaging with students, lecturers and friends and seems to perfectly encapsulate the era in which it was gathered. The fear and uncertainty that comes with the end of a century were endorsed and aggravated by the barbaric events of 9/11. A momentum that has changed the course of history and disrupted society forever. Current problems of migration, terrorism, and autocracies find their roots in the ashes of the Twin Towers, as is our loss of personal freedom. Against this backdrop the design pieces in this book talk of hiding and masking, of animal abuse and viruses, of nihilism and excess, of solitude and togetherness, and of the past attached to the future. At that time, the idea of glamorous design became unthinkable and evolved to become an autonomous discipline that is situated closer to art.

Many elements correspond to the Arts & Crafts movement at the second half of the 19th century, which also searched for a more integrated experience between the two domains, dedicated to elevating the human hand in the process. Collected from graduation to graduation, from encounter to exhibition, and driven by a need to gather this momentum which I felt to be crucial, the works that now will be housed and cherished by the Van Abbemuseum will stand the ravages of time through its intrinsic participation in the start of the century. The pieces had a far-reaching influence on the international world of design and one can argue that many designers are today Dutch Designers without ever having set foot in the Netherlands. The Design Academy Eindhoven has become a true school and will continue to do so with former graduates teaching new generations and asking ever-newer questions. Finding other nationalities to reach out to. Making the city a circle of diversity. The transfer of my design collection has been a beautiful and insightful process over two pandemic years, meeting once a week with a group of amazing professionals, finding out how this collection came together and what are the cultural, functional, and emotional components of each piece. It further enriched me with a greater understanding of our times, of a changing society, and the depth of my emotions.

Designed by Mariola López Mariño, with essays from Steven ten Thije and Annemoon Geurts plus a foreword by Charles Esche, this special book analyses the short history of 21st-century design through the lens of one collector’s curatorial perspective. it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

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