Honoring Nature, Creating Immersive Experiences – Lafon Group Art Exhibition

Villeroy & Boch’s New Antao Collection and Taiwanese Paper Art by KASCHKASCH feat. Fenko Catalysis Chamber

Accompanying European civilization for nearly four centuries, Villeroy & Boch, a national treasure in German craftsmanship, has continuously shaped the evolving art of living with its exquisite porcelain artistry. The brilliance of Villeroy & Boch's designs shines not only across Europe but also connects creative minds from different generations and countries. This year, in response to the global sustainability movement, Villeroy & Boch introduced the theme "In Touch with Nature" and invited the German design duo KASCHKASCH to create the refreshing "Antao" collection, inspired by the form and beauty of morning dew in the forest. For the first time, they also collaborated with Taiwan's Fenko Catalysis Chamber to co-curate the art exhibition "Flowing Form," merging the organic purity of paper and porcelain as a testament to the beauty of nature.

From royal porcelain tableware in the 18th century to castle and church tiles in the 19th century, and later evolving into a premium contemporary bathroom brand in the 20th century, Villeroy & Boch has always been rooted in aesthetic craftsmanship. Constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional forms through material innovation and creativity, the brand continues to showcase the infinite possibilities of porcelain. Beyond fulfilling daily consumer needs with beautiful designs, Villeroy & Boch’s deep passion for the arts and its unwavering support have solidified its status as an internationally revered brand. Esteemed creators like design legend Luigi Colani, Kenzo founder Kenzō Takada, and Paloma Picasso, daughter of Pablo Picasso, have all left their mark in collaboration with the brand.

Germany / Porcelain Design: Morning Dew — KASCHKASCH

A perfect design partnership: German designers Sebastian Schneider and Florian Kallus both received professional carpentry training and hold strong academic backgrounds in product design. Their expertise lies in blending traditional craftsmanship with innovative technological thinking. In 2011, the duo co-founded KASCHKASCH Studio, where they have contributed to the design of various furniture and lighting products, as well as art direction. Their approach focuses on incorporating poetry into functional products, subtly reflecting personality and lifestyle, which has earned them multiple prestigious design awards.

"Antao" is their first bathroom product collection. To fully immerse themselves in the design process, Sebastian and Florian visited Villeroy & Boch’s headquarters in Mettlach, where they observed each delicate step in the creation of porcelain. This hands-on experience, along with discussions with skilled craftsmen, laid the foundation for their design journey. As KASCHKASCH shared in a lecture in Taiwan: "Ceramics, a material born from the earth, are naturally warm and captivating. However, due to the many instabilities in the production process, without professional expertise, it’s challenging to achieve the precise and ideal form."

KASCHKASCH also ventured into the forest for inspiration, discovering that the dynamic fullness of morning dew (German: "Tau") perfectly echoes people’s longing for nature—calm, fresh, and pure. They envisioned bringing this atmosphere into the bathroom, translating the imperfect yet uniquely natural essence of dew into design elements. To capture the concept of "perfection in imperfection," KASCHKASCH photographed various dew formations from the forest, transforming them into 2D sketches before selecting their favorite shapes to develop into 3D models. After countless trials and refinements, they successfully crafted the Antao prototype—a masterpiece born from the collaboration with Villeroy & Boch’s bathroom production lines, reflecting meticulous craftsmanship and innovative design.
 

“For us, good design offers an experience that is entirely new—something that is meaningful when you see it, or it gives you a strong and unique sense of joy.” — KASCHKASCH Design Team

While people often seek perfection, their deepest desire is actually to experience something natural. This is the starting point for KASCHKASCH’s inspiration, with the dew-like shape serving as the key element that ties everything together: organic, fluid, warm, radiant, slightly asymmetrical yet harmoniously balanced—perfectly fulfilling the human yearning for a return to nature.

Taiwan / Paper Art Curation: Flowing Form — Fenko Catalysis Chamber

Emerging from the 30-year legacy of Taiwan’s Tree Fire Paper Museum, Fenko Catalysis Chamber is a design studio specializing in paper art. Known for their work at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, where they created the paper mountain installation "Heterogeneous," Fenko reinterprets the artistry and future potential of paper using contemporary methods.

As the curator for the Villeroy & Boch Antao art exhibition, Fenko Catalysis Chamber's lead curator, Lino Lee, shared the shared language between paper and porcelain: "natural accumulation, fragile yet resilient." Whether it is the clay used for porcelain or the fibers for paper, both are sourced from the nourishment of nature. Despite their seemingly fragile exteriors, both materials possess an inherent strength. Their fluid forms softly whisper the preciousness of life.

“Through the inspiration of plants and the guidance of art, people seem to let go of something, becoming more emotional and relaxed, with hearts that soften.” — Lino Lee, Fenko Catalysis Chamber

This exhibition begins with the soft glow of morning mist and the purity of dew, intertwined with a multisensory experience of floral and herbal fragrances. It conveys a message of healing and tranquility from the forest. As visitors wander through the gray-green paper forest, they can feel the delicate textures, as if momentarily escaping the noise of the world and finding a brief moment of calm. We aim not only to showcase the beauty of materials through their appearance but also to reveal the deeper message they carry. This aligns with the mission that Lafon Group has upheld over its 45-year history—providing people with a profound experience: "The greatest virtue is to unite the human soul with the entirety of nature."

This quote comes from Yu-Feng Chen, a Taiwanese ecologist and recipient of the prestigious Presidential Culture Award’s Butterfly Award. He is also a close friend of Lafon Group founder, Chairman Zhen-Hui Su. Professor Chen’s heartfelt words have provided a unified vision for the four international teams participating in this collaboration, leaving a lasting and profound impact on this four-day art exhibition held from September 25 to 28 this fall.

Organizer / Lafon Group

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, Lafon Group has built its foundation on the principle of "integrity and sincerity." Chairman Zhen-Hui Su, the founder of Lafon Group, has traversed Taiwan’s mountains, experiencing the beauty of nature and life. His journey, deeply rooted in a philosophy of life aesthetics, reflects in the group's dedication to music, art, ecological conservation, and social welfare, with a mission to give back to the land. Through the spirit of kindness and cultural aesthetics, Lafon Group aspires to illuminate every home.

Featured Brand / Villeroy & Boch

A brand passed down through nine generations and with nearly 300 years of history, Villeroy & Boch is one of Europe’s most esteemed porcelain brands, symbolizing the timeless spirit of German craftsmanship. With a design philosophy that integrates traditional techniques, artistic aesthetics, and creative innovation, the brand creates unique and memorable life stories in spaces such as bathrooms and dining areas, accompanying people in their beautiful vision of home.

Featured Design / Antao Bathroom Collection

The Antao collection draws inspiration from dew on treetops at dawn, featuring organic, irregular contours that reflect the full, graceful curves of water droplets. These pure, translucent droplets may appear imperfect, yet they embody a unique and perfect visual language. Combined with Villeroy & Boch’s naturally smooth and refined ceramic texture, the collection creates a serene yet lively atmosphere. This comprehensive series includes freestanding bathtubs, sinks, mirrors, faucets, toilets, and cabinets—transforming any bathroom into a breathtaking landscape.

The subtle asymmetry of the freestanding bathtub resembles a water droplet suspended from a leaf, flowing smoothly with ergonomic design that conforms to the human body. Crafted from Villeroy & Boch’s patented Quaryl® material, the bathtub is lightweight and thin, with a warm-to-the-touch surface. It offers excellent slip resistance, scratch resistance, and insulation, ensuring a supremely comfortable bathing experience.

The basin echoes the natural beauty of dew’s varied shapes, offering a range of sizes and configurations, including integrated countertop and freestanding models. In addition to the standard matte and glossy black-and-white finishes, the collection introduces soft, nature-inspired colors such as Dawn Green and Nude Apricot. The basins, made from the brand’s patented TitanCeram material, offer an exquisitely refined touch that enhances the performance of the ceramics. Complemented by faucets, wall-mounted toilets, mirrors, and cabinets made from natural materials like solid wood and marble, the collection’s rounded forms and low-saturation natural textures infuse bathrooms with a soothing, vibrant atmosphere that feels alive with the essence of nature.

Lafon Group