studio DO / BIO
Studio DO is a stone-cutting atelier based in Antwerp, founded by Dana Seachuga and Octave Vandeweghe. Rooted in a deep appreciation for the craft and heritage of stonecutting, the studio explores the material, cultural, and symbolic role of (gem)stones through functional objects. Their practice balances craftsmanship with conceptual inquiry, revealing the latent potential of found raw materials through precise and minimal interventions.
By allowing function to emerge from within the stone rather than imposing form upon it, Studio DO creates archetypal objects that embody both utility and narrative. The resulting works celebrate the enduring presence of stone, transforming geological matter into thoughtful objects that connect body, interior, and history.
‘Within the Ruins of Aesthetics and Function’
In ‘Within the Ruins of Aesthetics and Function’, DO is using discarded stone elements as their raw material. Raw material which functioned as a decorative or structural element. Carved stones that served a building, sculpture or pavement are manipulated to create new purposes. Previous functions and old aesthetics get tangled with repurposed functions and current aesthetics. At first sight the landscape of items appears as ruins, while at a closer look, the outcome is a rethought and recrafted object. The visual implementation of basic craft manipulations such as drilling and slicing, relate to the primitive techniques still used today by mankind to create products.
In this way DO confronts stone cutting with heritage and the archetypal forms of everyday products.
