From March 18 through June 26, 2022, Museum JAN in Amstelveen will present the first solo exhibition of designer and artist Floris Hovers (1976). The Art of Playing offers a varied overview of his applied and autonomous work.

Hovers' designs surprise with their disarming simplicity and balance between functionality and aesthetics. His works are characterized by basic structures and industrial forms. He designs and creates furniture, lighting, toys, objects, and miniatures, and is probably best known for his ArcheToys, a series of miniature vehicles. All his works are the result of extensive reduction processes. "By leaving out a lot, you get to the essence; what remains must leave enough room for the imagination," says Hovers.

Photos by Eddy Wenting

Imaginative construction

In 'The Art of Playing', Hovers introduces you to his world of form, color, and proportion. A world that develops through play and discovery. Hovers looks back on his childhood with nostalgia. 'I observed, interpreted, and then created it in my own way—and I still do. As a boy, I lived in my own little world. I long for autonomy in thought and action. For childlike simplicity.'

This desire is reflected in the imaginative city where you can completely 'disappear'. The city is built from wood scraps and recycled materials, painted in soft, fresh colors. The brightness, playfulness, and naivety of the objects make the entire construction extremely attractive, accessible, and recognizable—you'll want to play in it yourself.

Floris Hovers

Floris Hovers (1976) lives and works in Raamsdonk, where he also grew up. After completing a basic architecture course and training in advertising and presentation techniques in Utrecht, he graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2004. In 2006, he founded his own design studio and five years later he received the Sanoma Living Award for 'Young Talent'.

He also taught Spatial Design at the AKV St. Joost art academy and currently teaches color and composition at the Design Academy Eindhoven. He regularly gives lectures and is a sought-after guest lecturer in the Netherlands and abroad.