A Serene Dialogue of Matter: Benoît Viaene and Katrien Doms at Objects with Narratives

In A Serene Dialogue of Matter, the multidisciplinary practices of Benoît Viaene and Katrien Doms unfold in a state of contemplative equilibrium: two distinct approaches to making that converge through shared reverence for material authenticity and temporal rhythm. Presented by Objects with Narratives, the design exhibition, running from October 10, 2025 – February 07, 2026, invites viewers into a tactile landscape where wood, stone and gesture meet, as "an encounter where material, gesture and time resonate with one another in poetic harmony," according to the gallery in Brussels, Belgium.

Viaene brings an architectural sensibility to the organic, having trained as an architect and designer. His work bridges structure and intuition, balancing the discipline of contemporary design with a sensitivity to imperfection and time. Each composition, be it furniture design, sculpture or a design installation, reveals a pursuit of harmony rather than control, as witnessed in his exhibited works, including The Sharper Mind table design and the cabinet, A Gentle Motion, both made of Fraké wood. Through fine craftsmanship, the Belgian designer allows materials to speak for themselves: the quiet dialogue between light and texture presents a grounded stillness, suggesting spaces of reflection and inquiry. "By going back to organic shapes and natural materials, a unique design is created that is characterised by its elegant, silky patina," the gallery notes.

In quiet counterpoint, Doms channels elemental energy through an almost primal process. Working outdoors and without electricity, she engages directly with wood, fire and weather. Her sculptural designs emerge through acts of burning, carving and hollowing—gestures that balance destruction with tenderness. Each surface bears traces of change and transformation. By submitting her materials to the unpredictability of nature, the Belgian artist reveals the poetry in endurance. Wooden furniture pieces such as Beautiful Souls "was burned four times, each stage building depth and presence; an essential part of the process is that it must be hung before any work can begin," as the show's description notes, while Anima Sola, meaning 'lonely soul', refers to a "powerful image of a woman breaking free from chains, surrounded by flames, symbolising suffering, purification and hope for liberation." 

Together, the duo cultivate a shared language of restraint and sensitivity. Their works neither dominate nor conceal their origins; instead, they allow matter to retain its integrity while becoming a vessel for emotion. Within the minimalist setting of the design gallery, this dialogue between architecture, craft and intuition assumes a meditative resonance.

A Serene Dialogue of Matter unfolds as a study in presence and transformation. In the hands of these two, material becomes both medium and message, inviting reflection on how we inhabit and shape the natural world and how, in turn, it shapes us.