Vadim Kibardin is an artist, industrial designer, researcher, and craftsman. A graduate of the Industrial Design Department of Ural State University of Architecture and Art as well as the German Chancellor Scholarship Program, his design studio was founded in Prague (Czech Republic) in 2004 with an approach to design emphasizes both innovation and functionality. By exploring new ideas, materials, and technologies, his work is both artistic and innovative, delving into a conscious and responsible approach to consumption. As a pioneer of circular design, he has developed a construction method which utilizes the underexploited properties of mundane packaging. Working predominantly with paper and cardboard waste as a sculptural medium, his Black Paper collection offers a contribution towards a sustainable economy.

Kibardin’s designs express a refreshing dialogue between production, function, and aesthetics. Each unique piece is hand-shaped from recycled cardboard and covered with black paper, demonstrating a tactile approach to sculpture. Important to his practice are the imperfections present in analogue design. Objects that are handcrafted retain a sense of human touch. The concentration on hands-on manipulation of the paper ultimately imparts something of his personality to the final work, as each object takes form organically.Rational and emotional worlds collide to give birth to a burst of energy encapsulated in one artistic functional object.

Embracing the relationship between maker and collector, Kibadin explains his approach to contemporary design, “The love and energy that goes into making things is part of what make us happy. These objects are handmade, beautiful, functional, and fully sustainable. Gone are the clean lines of the past.  Some imperfections are important in helping us to understand the world.”

His pieces have been internationally exhibited, notably the CODA Design Museum, Centraal Museum, PAN Amsterdam, GLUE Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the Cité du Design and BAD+ in France, COSMOSCOW, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Decorative Art Museum, Moscow Design Miseum in Russia, COLLECTIBLE and Galila’s P.O.C Gallery in Belgium, Paper positions Basel / Basel Art Week, Design Museum Holon in Israel, Ro Plastic Prize, Salone del Mobile and MIDO in Milano, Florence Design Week, Promosedia in Italy, Clerkenwell Design Week, Kevin’s Green Heroes EXCEL London, Red dot design museum in Singapore, and the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art in Korea.