Anton Brunberg

Anton Brunberg
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

BEFORE JOINING THE Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) in 2015, Anton Brunberg studied Fine Woodworking and Furniture Design at Capellagården in Sweden for three years. During this time Brunberg mastered his craft, and was rewarded with the ‘Siv & Carl Malmstens Memory Scholarship’ in 2014, and the ‘Arbetsflitens Vänner Craft Scholarship’ in the same year. In 2015 he received the ‘Bengt Julins Scholarship’ as well as the ‘Tormek Scholarship’ in fine woodworking & design.

Anton Brunberg, ‘The Architect’, 2014. “This was an exploration into up-cycling. An old wrangler and book press was transformed into a drafting desk during my time at Capellagården.”
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

Brunberg expanded his practice on the ‘Public Private’ course at DAE, exploring the ways in which “shapes and structures can have a larger impact on society”. Drawing upon the woodworking skills he perfected at Capellagården and his own natural tenacity, Brunberg was able to produce the striking, ‘Pallet Thief’. This project earned Brunberg a place on Ung Svensk Form, 2021. The exhibition opens digitally at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern on the first day of Stockholm Design Week, February 8^th.

Anton Brunberg, ‘Pallet Thief’, 2020
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

The Design Edit (TDE): Tell us about the inspiration behind your graduate project?
Anton Brunberg: ‘Pallet Thief’ was a very personal piece of work, a personal exploration. It was a challenge to myself, to pull something out of thin air in a sense. I wanted to explore my mind and see what it could come up with. My practice was questioned by teachers at the design academy, so it was about showcasing my ideas through that practice.

Anton Brunberg, ‘Bent bench’, 2013. “Envisioning the idea that solid materials could be bendable, as a giant twisted a tree.”
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

TDE: Where are you going to take that work now?
Anton Brunberg: ‘ I would definitely like to expand on ‘Pallet Thief’, to expand it into a series of works. I’m going to continue to explore my own mind and see what creations live up there.

Anton Brunberg, ‘City Safari’, 2015. “Built to cater for the needs of the modern worker, this desk has been designed and crafted in a way that makes it portable. The legs are removable and can be stored in the back drawers during transportation.
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

Whether I make anything as large as ‘Pallet Thief’, depends upon whether I can get back into a workshop or a bigger workspace. Because it weighs a lot and it is quite a challenge to move around. Maybe I will find a material that’s a bit easier to work with than pallets – although they’re a free material,  they took a lot of time to break up and it wasn’t easy work. But it was very meditative and I find working with scrap wood very interesting and appreciate the sustainable aspect. However, I would also like to experiment with different materials. So yes, I definitely want to take ‘Pallet Thief’ further, turn it into a series, that’s the plan.

Anton Brunberg, ‘ Man-sized lobster trap’, 2017. “A steam-bent wooden basket made in my shower in my student home. Showcasing the aftermath of a fight between maker and material.
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

TDE: Which designer is your role model or who most inspires you?
Anton Brunberg: I really don’t know. I get inspired by everything: from cityscapes to meeting new people. Inspiration is about development,  so I think it’s better to have several inspirations – to learn from each and develop as a person – than to have just one favourite designer. Of course, I should mention Hans J. Wegner and Finn Juhl. And the one designer who has had the biggest impact on me and made me believe in my new self is Nacho Carbonell. He’s a wonderful human being and a great mentor!

Anton Brunberg, ‘Transpose teapot’, 2018. “The inner shells of disposed of Thermoses that have been re-purposed to be used as a teapot.
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

TDE: What is your stand out memory from 2020?
Anton Brunberg: COVID-19. It has had a big impact on me, and everyone. It has divided people. I was grateful to have graduated in January as I was able to spend time in the workshop, which some other students couldn’t do. And it was a real bummer that Dutch Design Week didn’t happen.

Anton Brunberg, ‘A New Son’, 2020. “What came first the chicken or the egg?”
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg

TDE: What was the most important thing you learned at your design college?
Anton Brunberg: That with failure there is space for reflection and with reflection you can improve your ideas, and that supports self-growth. At the beginning of my studies I was a bit more stubborn, but at university, being able to see the way different people think helped me adapt and to learn. I’m still stubborn when I have to be! But I think it’s important to find a balance, to be able to expand your thought process and to stick to your guns when you have to. It’s a give and take situation.

Anton Brunberg and ‘Pallet Thief’, 2020
COURTESY: Anton Brunberg