Rasmus Fenhann's new monograph explores the value of craft
Rasmus Fenhann in his Copenhagen workshop with his Cosmos Cabinet in the foreground. Photo: Frederikke Brostrup
Danish designer maker Rasmus Fenhann was profiled in the September issue (#132) of Australian Wood Review. His recent solo exhibition in Copenhagen was the culmination of a 30 year career in the craft. Rasmus unveiled his Cosmos Cabinet, an elaborate masterpiece which referenced 17th century cabinets of wonder (Wunderkammer).
Made over a two-year period from ebony offcuts, the cabinet raised questions. How can wood offcuts become something precious? Do centuries-old craft traditions still have relevance? And why insist on craftsmanship today?
Cosmos Cabinet in ebony, oak and maple. Other materials used include mammoth bone, mother-of-pearl and shargreen. Photo: Jeppe Gudmundsen Holmgreen
These questions lie at the heart of OFFCUT/RECUT, a 236-page monograph by Danish furniture designer and cabinetmaker Rasmus Fenhann. Published independently in connection with his exhibition in September 2026, the book offers an in-depth look at three decades of work shaped by a close relationship between material, construction, form and craftsmanship.
The book explores two interconnected approaches. OFFCUT concerns the transformation of leftover materials into new and valuable objects. RECUT examines how historical European and Japanese woodworking techniques and construction principles can be reinterpreted through contemporary furniture design.
Through selected works, material studies, technical solutions and insights into the making process, OFFCUT/RECUT reveals a practice in which traditional cabinetmaking knowledge meets experimentation, geometry and contemporary technology. Craftsmanship is presented not as nostalgia, but as a living form of knowledge with continued relevance to how we design and make objects today.
A central work in the publication is Cosmos, made using rare hardwood remnants preserved in the Milan workshop of the renowned Italian cabinetmaker Pierluigi Ghianda, the cabinet brings together material history, intricate joinery, sculptural form and the desire to give overlooked resources renewed value.
Rasmus Fenhann's book shown at the Wegner Museum in Copenhagen
Here are the details of Rasmus Fenhann’s book:
Title: OFFCUT/RECUT
Format: Monograph
Length: 236 pages
Size: 197 x 260 x18 mm
Edition: 700 copies
Publisher: Self-published
RRP: DKK 300The book can be bought directly from Rasmus Fenhann: rasmus@fenhann.com