Milan Design Week: Kohler's Art Bathrooms

Words by
Nicole Panteloucos
Photography by
Kohler

24th April 2023

At Milan Design Week, the erstwhile inventors of the avocado bathroom suite, Kohler, have unveiled a spectacular 150th anniversary collection from four emerging female artists, which just might transform bathroom design as we know it.

Like fashion, bathroom trends come and go. Its safe to say no one expected the brightly-coloured loos of the seventies to be making a comeback, but that's just what has happened (see The Bold Bathroom Company and its sister company). The iconic brand, Kohler, who first popularised coloured bathrooms way back when, has never stopped innovating. At last week's Milan Design Week, the company gave attendee's an inside look at the future of personalised avant garde bathrooms by partnering with an international roster of female artists -  Ananda Nahú from Brazil, Ziling Wang from China, Pushpa Kumari from India and Elle from the USA - on four unique bathroom sets.

Their collection, 'The Creator's Journey', transforms the traditionally blank slate whiteness of sanitary ware into colourful artistic objects from Kohler's Brazn and Numi product range, and has been spearheaded by Laura Kohler, its Chief Sustainability and Diversity Officer. Ms. Kohler reaffirmed that her business , "is dedicated to creating a space for the cross-section of artistry and craftsmanship in our industry.” We have to admit, we love the idea of the bathroom as not only an artistic space, but the bath itself as a work of art? We're all in.

Ananda Nahú, Brazil
Ananda Nahú
Kohler Artist: Ananda Nahú, Brazil

As a painter and visual artist, Nahú is widely recognized for her vibrant, multiculturalist designs. In 2015, she was named one of the most influential artists in Brazil and actively participates in social-artistic projects for the United Nations, the European Union, and New York’s City Hall. Her collection for Kohler, titled Flora Tropical, features swirling black and white floral motifs with pops of yellow and pink.

Kohler Artist Editions: Flora Tropical by Ananda Nahú
Kohler Artist Editions: Flora Tropical by Ananda Nahú, Brazil
Ziling Wang, China 
Ziling Wang
Kohler Artist: Ziling Wang, China

With an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, Ziling's contemporary paintings explore nature's balance and forms. Known for her innovative use of paint, her collection, A World on Strings, features eccentric, brightly-coloured three-dimensional shapes.

 

Kohler Artist Editions: A World on Strings by Ziling Wang
Kohler Artist Editions: A World on Strings by Ziling Wang
Pushpa Kumari, India
Pushpa Kumari
Kohler Artist: Pushpa Kumari, India

Drawing inspiration from Indian lore, the intricate line paintings in Kumari's Kohler collection, Aranya, compliment the sleek and modern design of the brand's Numi and Brazn products. Despite being rooted in Indian tradition, Kumari's art has international appeal. In 2016, her work was included in the prestigious Eighth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at Queensland Art Gallery in Australia.

Kohler Artist Editions: Aranya by Pushpa Kumari
Kohler Artist Editions: Aranya by Pushpa Kumari
Elle 
Elle
Kohler Artist: Elle, United States

Considered one of the world's top street artists, Elle's abstract wall murals and paintings have been featured in museums all over the world including the prestigious Saatchi Gallery in London and the Urban Nation Museum in Berlin. Titled Falling Gently, her Kohler collection features pastel-coloured plant motifs.

Kohler Artist Editions: Falling Gently by Elle
Kohler Artist Editions: Falling Gently by Elle