BiNTH

Binth is the Chicago-based design group composed of Linnea Gits, Peter Dunham, and Suzanna Bierwirth.


Binth mural for Herman Miller Los Angeles showroom

Together they've created graphic murals and custom installations for Herman Miller's national design showrooms.


Binth binders created for Herman Miller NYC showroom

Binth has also art directed and illustrated an educational book for a pharmaceutical company, created beautiful cards, notebooks, baby books, gorgeous prints, and much much more.



I'm a big fan of their work so I'm really happy to share this little interview with them--thanks Linnea, Suzanna, and Peter!



I fell for this Binth limited edition: "Uprooted"

mj: I love the idea that you're a collective. Artists have worked for such a long time in Europe this way, but so seldom do it in the US. What gave you the idea?



SUZANNA: WORKING AS A COLLECTIVE IS DEFNITELY IN MY NATURE. THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE RIGHT PARTNERS, THE RIGHT COMMUNITY WHERE YOUR IDEAS CAN BE RESPECTED, DEVELOPED AND PUSHED.

LINNEA: I THINK THE THREE OF US ARE PERFECTIONISTS BY NATURE, WHICH IS TRICKY BECAUSE THIS ALSO MEANS WE ALL HAVE THE TENDENCY TO BE CONTROL FREAKS - THAT IS DEFINITELY THE ARTISTIC SIDE OF OUR NATURES. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE HAVE AS A COLLECTIVE IS TO PURSUE PROJECTS THAT INTEREST US AS ARTISTS, BUT ALSO SPEAK TO THE GROUP DYNAMIC. WHEN WE FIND THESE PROJECTS, THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT THE COLLECTIVE GIVES US IS A DEFINING TOOL THAT ENHANCES AND STRENGTHENS OUR DESIGN CHOICES.

PETER: FOR ME PERSONALLY IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO START POOLING AND EXCHANGING RESOURCES (WHETHER THEY ARE CONCEPTS OR SKILLS) TO BETTER ACHIEVE AND SOLVE DESIGN CHALLENGES. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LEARN WHEN WORKING WITH OTHERS.



mj: I know everyone probably asks you this--but how did you all meet?

SUZANNA: WE MET A LONG TIME AGO, MAYBE 13 YEARS AGO OR SO IN CHICAGO THROUGH FRIENDS. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEWHAT LOOSELY ON EACH OTHER'S RADARS. THREE YEARS AGO LINNEA APPROACHED ME TO WORK ON A BOOK PROJECT AND THE COLLABORATION WAS SO SUCCESSFUL WE DECIDED TO PURSUE IT SERIOUSLY AND FORMED BITNH. PETER CAME IN SHORTLY AFTERWARDS AS A PRODUCTION CONSULTANT AND THEN, LATER AS ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS IN THE COMPANY.



mj: What is your favorite project that you've designed so far?

SUZANNA: WELL, I LIKE ALL THE PROJECTS WE HAVE DONE. I LIKE THAT WE CAN DO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, LIKE ILLUSTRATE A BOOK, CREATE INSTALLATIONS FOR HERMAN MILLER, DESIGN CARD LINES, PUT OUT ART PRINT EDITIONS - THIS FLEXIBILITY IS A HUGE PART OF WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. IT IS MORE ABOUT THE FREEDOM AND CHALLENGE OF THE PROCESS - THE END RESULT IS ALWAYS A BONUS.


"Soon" everyday occasion note card & pussy willow note pad

mj: I love how you describe your paint color process. All of the designs, prints, cards, etc. have a cohesive feel to them. How do you achieve this with three people?

SUZANNA: THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS WE GO ABOUT IT: ONE IS WHEN WE CONCEPT TOGETHER AND THEN WALK OFF INDIVIDUALLY TO EXPLORE IT ON OUR OWN. THEN WE COME BACK TOGETHER AND FINALIZE BY SIFTING THROUGH ALL THE OPTIONS LOOKING FOR THE STRONGEST ELEMENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE WANTED TO TRY AND MOVE HORIZONTALLY THROUGH OUR DIFFERENT LINES AND EXPAND ON THEIR EXISITING LOOK WITH NEW PRODUCT. WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL IDEAS AND DECIDED IT WOULD BE A COOL CHALLENGE TO CREATE A MODERN, PICTURE ALPHABET FOR A CHILDREN'S ROOM - ONE THAT COULD APPEAL TO A CHILD BUT SHARED AN ADULT SENSIBILITY. WE HAVE A CARD LINE CALLED "PARTY ANIMALS" THAT WAS INSPIRED BY CLASSIC MID-CENTURY DANISH WOODEN TOYS AND FELT THIS WAS A GREAT LOOK FOR THE ALPHABET. WE ALL AGREED ON THE COLOR SCHEME FIRST. THEN LINNEA TOOK THE LEAD IN DEVELOPING THE CHARACTERS, PETER WAS INVOLVED IN THE COMPOSITION AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOSING FONTS & DEVELOPING BRANDING. AT A CERTAIN POINT WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER ARRANGING THE COMPOSITIONS, KICKING OUT CHARACTERS WE DIDN'T LIKE, FONTS WE THOUGHT WERE CHEESEY, FUZZING OVER BRANDING, UNTIL IT ALL WORKED TOGETHER. ESSENTIALLY THIS IS HOW WE APPROACH ALL OUR PROJECTS - COLOR IS ALWAYS THE FIRST DECISION WE MAKE AS A GROUP AND THEN IT SORT OF SPINS OUT FROM THERE INTO INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS AND THEN IT IS ALL BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN, TESTED, EDITED AND PUSHED TO A FINAL GROUP APPROVAL.




mj: Do you have new products in the works?

SUZANNA: YES, WE ARE WORKING ON SOME PRETTY COOL ITEMS RIGHT NOW. THE ABC, THOSE LETTERS WILL BE AVAILABLE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A HUGE POSTER. WE ARE WORKING ON A MEMORY GAME (COLLABORATING WITH MY 8-YEAR-OLD SON, JAREK ON THIS ONE AS WE DID IN THE CARD LINE "OFFSPRING") AND WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON NEW CARD LINES. WE HAVE ALSO STARTED TO EXPLORE OTHER MATERIALS, GOING BEYOND PAPER AND MOVING INTO THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS. WE ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO EXPANDING OUR ART PRINT SECTION WITH MORE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS OF OUR OWN AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING THE IDEA OF INVITING OTHER ARTISTS WHOSE WORK WE RESPECT & ADMIRE, TO MAKE LIMITED EDITION RUNS FOR BINTH.


Binth limited Edition print: "Split"

mj: How would you describe your own style (fashion as well as art)?

SUZANNA: I AM DRAWN TO THE UNEXPECTED MIX OF MATERIALS IN BOTH FASHION AND MY HOME. ONE OF MY FAVORITE OBJECTS IS A BRACELET THAT WAS A PIECE OF LACE DIPPED IN METAL, OR A NECKLACE THAT IS MADE OF HANDBLOWN GLASS THAT ALMOST LOOK LIKE BUBBLES. I ENJOY THE TENSION OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL THAT IS ON THE VERGE OF BEING VIOLENT.

LINNEA: I THINK ESSENTIALLY I LOVE ALL PRACTICAL THINGS, PEOPLE, STYLE - BUT WITH A DECADENT, SLIGHTLY SINISTER TWIST TO THEM. IT DOESN'T HURT IF THEY ARE HUMOROUS TOO.

PETER: SUBTLE WITH INTENTION AND PURPOSE.



Here are A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT BINTH:

A) THE FOUR MOST STYLISH PEOPLE THAT INFLUENCED ME:
1. SUZANNA: PATTY SMITH, KEITH RICHARDS, MY GRANDFATHER HERMAN, MARLENE DIETRICH.
2. LINNEA: UMA THURMAN, CATHERINE DENUEVE, MY PARENTS, MY SISTER LANA.
3. PETER: MY GRANDFATHER - THE REST OF MY INFLUENCES WERE NOT VERY STYLISH.
4.

B) FOUR WAYS THAT STYLE MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
1. SUZANNA:
2. LINNEA:
3. PETER:
4.

C) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNERS
1. SUZANNA: MARCEL WANDERS, HELLA JONGERIOUS, EMILLIO PUCCI, JIL SANDER
2. LINNEA: NAOTO FUKASAWA, KAY BOJESEN, CHARLES & RAY EAMES, FASHION DESIGNER ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
3. PETER: RICHARD RIEMERSCHMID, PETER WALLS, GEORGE NELSON, CHARLES EAMES

D) FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE:
1. SUZANNA: FACTORY WORKER, WAITRESS, PHOTOGRAPHER & PRODUCER
2. LINNEA: WAITRESS, ILLUSTRATOR, STYLIST, ARTIST
3. PETER: WOODWORKER, PAINTER, DESIGNER, ARTIST

E) FOUR MOVIES I WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER (AND DO):
1. SUZANNA: KILL BILL 1 & 2, DR.ZHIVAGO
2. LINNEA: KILL BILL 1 & 2, WIZARD OF OZ
3. PETER: MATRIX, DR. STRANGELOVE, MONTY PYTHON THE HOLY GRAIL, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON

F) FOUR PLACES WHERE I HAVE LIVED:
1. SUZANNA: BERLIN, LA, GREECE
2. LINNEA: MEXICO, JAMAICA, MICHIGAN
3. PETER: ELMHURST & DEKALB ILLINOIS. YEP.

G) FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH:
1. SUZANNA:
2. LINNEA:
3. PETER: I DON'T WATCH T.V.
4.

H) FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS:
1. SUZANNA: MICHIGAN, NEW ORLEANS, I TOOK MY SON TO CANCUN & WASHINGTON, COLORADO & PHOENIX. I TRAVEL ON BUSINESS TO NEW YORK A LOT & I GO BACK TO GERMANY AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
2. LINNEA: CALIFORNIA, MONTANA, MICHIGAN, NEW YORK
3. PETER: CALIFORNIA, TELLURIDE, NEW YORK, WASHINGTON DC.

I) FOUR WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY (Or at least Weekly):
1. SUZANNA: DESIGN SPONGE, JOSH SPREAR
2. LINNEA: THE NEW YORK TIMES & EBAY
3. PETER: EBAY
4.

J) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
1. SUZANNA: KOREAN, VIETNAEMSE, JAPANESE, ITALIAN
2. LINNEA: SUSHI, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, CHEESE, ANY VEGGIES
3. PETER: SUSHI, CHEESEBURGERS & FRIES, PIZZA

K) FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. SUZANNA: NEW ZEELAND, NEW YORK, AMSTERDAM, BERLIN
2. LINNEA: I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT JAPAN RIGHT NOW
3. PETER: THE UPPER PENNINSULA OF MICHIGAN



Lovely one-of-a-kind Binth print: "Noon Shine"