Gijs Bakker

Gijs Bakker worked in ceramic art and product design. He was employed by Delft University of Technology, ArtEZ, Koninklijke Van Kempen & Begeer, Design Academy Eindhoven and Royal Academy of Art. He worked at Amersfoort, Utrecht and Amsterdam.

Gijs Bakker is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded with the occupation jewelry designer. Recorded as designer, sculptor, gallerist, university teacher and entrepreneur.

Bakker is widower of the jewellery designer Emmy van Leersum. In 1993 he founded Droog Design together with design critic and historian Renny Ramakers, a Dutch collective of designers, products and information. Together with Ramakers, he was the selector and art director of all products within Droog Design until 2009. In 2007 he and Renny Ramakers had been awarded the Benno Premsela Prize for their joint effort. Bakker has also taught for more than 40 years at different schools, among others the Delft University of Technology and the Design Academy Eindhoven, where he worked since 1987 until 2012 (since 2000 as Head of the Masters Programme). Together with Italian gallery owner Marijke Vallanzasca, Bakker founded the Chi ha paura..? (Italian for 'who is afraid of') foundation in 1996. (CHP..?) They wanted to show the international design world that a piece of jewellery is more than a decorative fashion accessory. From 2009 onwards, Bakker has investigated the relation between craft and design in the Netherlands. Abroad, he is active regarding this issue by becoming creative director for Yii Taiwan in 2009. Commissioned by the Taiwanese Craft and Design council, Yii was founded to create a stronger and more sustainable coherence between local Taiwanese craft traditions and contemporary design practice in Taiwan. The brand was also established to develop a more prolific design identity for Taiwan. Bakker travels around the world to give workshops, lectures and is frequently a member in juries. His retrospective exhibition "Gijs Bakker and Jewelry" (and accompanying monography) was on display in various museums around the world. His work is represented in collections, both in museums and privately, worldwide.

Gijs Bakker studied at Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Konstfack and European Ceramics Work Center. Training under Marinus Zwollo is recorded. The recorded working language is Dutch. The field of work recorded is ceramic art and product design. Places of work recorded in the authority are Amersfoort, Utrecht and Amsterdam. Employment is recorded with Delft University of Technology, ArtEZ and Koninklijke Van Kempen & Begeer. Works named in the authority record are Droog Design. Work by Gijs Bakker is recorded in the collections of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Art Institute of Chicago, National Gallery of Victoria, Design Museum Gent and Madeleine Albright Collection. Distinctions recorded are Françoise van den Bosch Prijs and Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

• Centraal Museum, Utrecht • Collectie Françoise van den Bosch • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam • Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Arnhem • Rijksmuseum Amsterdam • Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim • Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam • Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch • Victoria and Albert Museum, London