Mido

The founders of the REFORM Design Biennale – open through June 28 at the KINFOLK gallery in Copenhagen — “want you to try to think of function in a different way…to question the barriers between art, function, and design.” A recent graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, designer Rasmus Warberg responds to this prompt with an open mind; his MIDO sideboard reimagines archetypal storage furniture, which he describes as nothing more than “boxes supported by a frame underneath,” in a flawless composition of material and form. Ash cabinets with woven cane doors hang from the linear steel frame in an expression of “serene simplicity.” The industrial pipes pair beautifully with the fine craftsmanship and detail of the wooden case. His extensive craft background is blatant in his thoughtful construction; Warberg explains that “in order to understand the concept of REFORM I find it important to make references to the history of design and stress the quality in materials and techniques by using them in new and surprising ways.” Mid-century style and modern vibes conceal its utility, disguised as work of art.