Obscure Objects: true vitality emerges from contrast
September 16, 2026 Feature: Obscure Objects Words: Luisa Pöpsel and Moritz Pitrowski in conversation mediated by Luca Persico Image credits: Ole Müller, Moritz Geyer, Catherina Rocío
True vitality rarely emerges from perfect harmony; it is often the result of friction, contrast, and unexpected encounters. It is within this relational framework that Entfernte Verwandte (Distant Relatives) finds its profound meaning. Curated by Luisa Pöpsel and Moritz Pitrowski of Obscure Objects and presented at the 2026 Dresden Design Days, the exhibition challenges the idea of a showcase as a mere collection of isolated items. By bringing together works from 24 independent designers, the setup intentionally plays with the concept of the "distant relative": those family members whose conflicting traits create a dynamic tension. Rather than smoothing out these differences, Luisa and Moritz embraced the clashes, making the collection feel as complex and alive as a human family, prioritizing relationships over pure aesthetics.
Luca Persico: In your introduction you mention that it is precisely the frictions between different personalities that make a family dynamic and alive. When curating Entfernte Verwandte, how did you navigate this tension? What kind of dialogue were you looking for when placing these 29 distinct pieces next to each other in the same room?
Moritz Pitrowski: The designers we have selected all work in their own ways and follow very different sets of values in their work. Some of the selected pieces follow the principles of classic industrial design, making the objects suitable for mass production and easy to ship and assemble, while also considering their entire life cycle. Other pieces are more driven by artistic expression or material experimentation, handmade and sometimes unique pieces. Our intention was to show that these different approaches can coexist in the same space, and perhaps even benefit from each other.
We see designs’s many facets as a great strength and are big fans of the many different directions design can take. Our intention was to embrace this diversity.
Luisa Pöpsel: It’s not just about navigating tension, but also creating the right amount of it. In addition to the criteria Moritz explained, we were also looking for contrasting materials which interact with each other in interesting ways. Since we already have a strong focus on objects made of metal, other materials such as wood, ceramic or fabric were necessary to balance everything out.
Luca Persico: You both touched on the idea of balance, since you are a duo, did you ever find yourselves having different perspectives on a specific pairing, and how did those conversations help shape the final setup?
Moritz Pitrowski: We don’t always see a pairing in exactly the same way and also the positioning of certain pieces was very important for us. Sometimes one of us prefers more contrast, while the other feels the elements should work together more subtly. Those discussions usually help us to understand what the pairing needs to achieve, and often the final setup end up combining the best of both perspectives.
Luca Persico: How does the role shift when you are no longer designing the object, but designing the network between objects? Do you see curating this exhibition as a natural expansion of your design language?
Moritz Pitrowski: Curating and designing are two very different things, but creating our own exhibitions or fair settings basically requires the same considerations: which pieces to show and how to make them interact with each other within a specific environment. For Entfernte Verwandte, the pool of pieces to select from was simply much bigger and more diverse.
Designing and showing our own work in many different places has laid the groundwork for this exhibition. Over the past years, we have met all the designers we included at some point of our journey. It was important for us to have some kind of connection to the person behind every object. We had always wanted to create an exhibition like this in Berlin, but hadn’t been able realize it until now. When we were asked by the Dresden Design Days team if we wanted to curate this space, we were immediately hooked.
Luisa Pöpsel: Being able to create the right setting for those kind of objects feels really satisfying and holistic. Objects and spaces always interact with one another and when everything is in the right place, both can benefit even more from each other.
Luca Persico: Luisa, you mentioned that when everything is in the 'right' place, both objects and spaces benefit. Finding that 'right' place can be tricky, did you plan the layout strictly beforehand, or did it happen intuitively once you had the physical pieces in your hands?
Luisa Pöpsel: We had a rough layout in mind before entering the space. Some pieces already had designated places, like the Miniskirt light by Charlotte Bombel and the Fruit table by Lisa Cipriano. For those pieces we already knew that they should be situated together in the lower part of the space, while for other pieces we wanted to keep the possibility to react more intuitively in situ.
As soon as more and more pieces filled the space and certain elements, especially like the piece Skin As A Metaphor by OO duo, have found their exact positioning everything else found their places quite naturally.
Luca Persico: The pieces inhabited the C. Rockefeller Center for the Contemporary Arts. How did this specific spatial context ultimately influence the way the objects were perceived? Did the architecture act merely as a neutral container, or did it actively participate in defining the boundaries of this "distant family"?
Moritz Pitrowski: The C. Rockefeller Center has a lot of significant spatial features that were very beneficial for our exhibition setting. One part of the room has a lower ceiling and no windows, which immediately makes the spatial situation feel much more intimate. The rest of the room is really open, allowing larger works to occupy the space, breathe and create distance. At the same time, we were also trying to bring certain pieces closer together that might not usually be associated with each other. The building has a strip of high windows on three sides that provide great natural daylight and constantly change the light atmosphere throughout the day, allowing sunbeams to highlight different areas and objects at different times. At the same time, the room still feels very enclosed and grounded, since there is a lot of wall space which also provides a great neutral background. The architecture has definitely been more than a neutral container. It would not have been the same exhibition in a different space.