ONES TO WATCH
These are the designers and artisans set to be big names in 2024
FEATURE ARABELLA YOUENS
HANNA HEINO
An artist and interior designer from Finland, Hanna is a clay sculptor and painter whose work is informed by the subtle nuances of nature, its textures and shapes. She credits growing up in the Finnish countryside, surrounded by either snowy hills or wildflower meadows, for her appreciation of nature. ‘I love to collect branches, stones and get impressions of purity and calmness. My work reflects the constantly evolving organisms and subtle shades I sense,’ she says.
‘I find it important to work sustainably; recycle excess material, minimise water use and use local resources.’ Hanna worked in interior design, furniture design and residential construction for 15 years before she established her studio in 2019; since then, she’s devoted herself to her art. It’s the fact that she straddles these disciplines that gives her work a creative edge: Hanna has a desire to blend interiors and art as one entity and we salute that goal. @hanna_heino
MADDIE ROSE HILLS
British artist Maddie Rose Hills lives and works in Amsterdam. Her practice moves between painting, sculpture, writing, curating and lighting design. The daughter of Porta Romana founders Andrew and Sarah Hills, Maddie recently launched the Primordia collection for the company, which includes three pieces sculpted by her, using paper pulp and found objects, and recast in eco-friendly jesmonite. Maddie is interested in materials, seen through a prism of rethinking waste, the meaning of value and resourcefulness. ‘Being an artist is all about metamorphosis – what can you take and make into something new,’ she says. ‘Cardboard has a rich texture surface and the fibres mean it’s perfect for sculpting.’ Her work explores time and memory using paint and found materials to create layers that conceal and reveal existing marks. The paintings explore perception and memory relating to place; be that a landscape or space that she has spent time in. @maddie.rose.hills
NAREG KRIKORIAN
Lebanese-Armenian designer Nareg focuses on furniture and accessory design and recently released his first collection of leather furniture called Gaar. The name derives from the Armenian word for ‘stitches’ and the pieces feature exaggerated stitching and details to honour the traditional craftsmanship. Made with his team of skilled artisans in Lebanon, the bold take on otherwise mundane processes aims to generate a fresh sense of interest in the smaller, deeper elements of craft. After graduating with a degree in graphic design, Nareg went on to work as a product and brand designer in the luxury hospitality industry and supervising the production of furniture pieces at the in-house ateliers. He then completed an MA in furniture design at Centr
