Job Smeets
Job Smeets' collection SOFT PARADE, which explores tenderness not as comfort, but as a deliberate stance in difficult times. The collection uses irony and humor as structural tools to hold tension and contradiction—such as fragility and strength—without resolution. Softness is framed as a form of intelligence that embraces vulnerability and instability. The collection features six object typologies (including a daybed, carpet, and lounge chair), each using form and material to reflect on softness as a critical, contemporary condition.
about
Job Smeets (1969) is a pioneering figure in contemporary conceptual and sculptural art and the founder of Studio Job, established in 1998. Working in a Renaissance spirit, Smeets merges traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to create highly detailed, one-of-a-kind objects that blur the line between sculpture and function.
Renowned for reviving monumental bronze sculpture and bridging the line between art and design, his practice also spans marquetry, ceramics, lighting, textiles, and silver. From his Netherlands-based atelier, a team of master artisans employs classical methods, rejecting modernist minimalism in favour of what Smeets terms “non-modernism”—a richly layered aesthetic defined by historical references, intricate ornamentation, and dark humour. Often described as neo-Gothic or post-Renaissance, his work is between monumental art and collectible design.
Smeets’ work has been exhibited at leading institutions including Metropolitan Museum of Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Venice Biennale. He has collaborated with global luxury houses such as Hermès, Fendi, Swarovski, and Land Rover, while creating more than 600 collectible designs for brands including Alessi, Gufram, and Swatch.
With over 400 exhibitions worldwide and a royal commission for the current Dutch national stamp, Smeets remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary art and design. In 2027, Studio Job will unveil House of Delft, a 2,000-square-metre project years in development, set to become the largest artwork in the Netherlands.
