Meet the Maker: Matthias Quadekker

‘My name is Matthias Quadekker and I am from a family that dates back to the 16th century. My great grandfather, Jan de Wit, was a smith in Helmond, just as I am nowadays. About me: I am a maker, a father, a husband, an actor, a singer and much more. But in the context of this interview I am a smith. In English there is a distinction between sorts of smiths: like Goldsmith, Blacksmith, Armourer of Farrier. I consider myself to be a Blade smith, a type smith that used to make swords. I think I can describe myself best as a craftsman as making is where my main interest lies. For me, making is the most direct way of connecting myself to nature.

What I mean to say is that before the Industrial Revolution mankind was more coordinated with nature. That relationship has been disrupted. We design concepts and products that no longer have any relation to nature and are so complicated that this connection is not even possible or traceable anymore. Something like ICT is not a crafts, as it in no way connected to human nature, only to mathematical concepts. We are so focused on the brain that we literally are no longer grounded. That is why I think there should be a bigger focus on the physical act of making in the higher education system; to preserve the feeling to reality, to the earth. Because how do digital systems convey intuition, smell and touch?’

More of this entry is available in Dutch.