Origin, provenance, and historical depth of documented collectibles
Art and design objects made from subfossil wood from New Zealand
Beaupoil’s works are crafted from subfossil Ancient Kauri from New Zealand. This millennia-old solid wood has been preserved in bogs and sediments over very long periods of time. Today, it is used to create sculptural tables, documented collector’s items, and large-scale art and design objects with a clear material origin.
No living trees are cut down for Beaupoil's works. The wood used comes from ancient kauri trees recovered from the soil in New Zealand.
Historic kauri trees and monumental rock formations
The ancient kauri trees were among the largest trees in the Southern Hemisphere. During their lifetimes, they could reach heights of over 50 meters, live for more than 2,000 years, and develop exceptionally large trunks and root systems.
These dimensions form the basis for the monumental root slabs, tree forms, and trunk segments that are later transformed into sculptural tables, functional art, and documented one-of-a-kind pieces.
Documented collectibles with scientific proof of age
Ancient Kauri has unique material properties and scientific significance. Information about climate, precipitation, and atmospheric changes is stored in the tree's growth rings.
Radiocarbon dating results are available for individual material samples. The dates from Beaupoil’s work range from 2,900 to 47,000 years. This chronological depth is part of the provenance of every documented collectible and makes the origin of the material traceable.
Collectible Design Begins in New Zealand
The Swamp Kauri slabs are personally selected in New Zealand in collaboration with long-standing local partners. It is determined there which pieces will later be transformed into a sculptural table, a functional collector’s item, or a collectible design object.
The creative process doesn't begin in the studio, but rather with the selection of individual found objects on site.
From Found Object to Nature's Visual Power
Every piece of Swamp Kauri has its own unique shape, size, and internal structure. It is only when the wood is cut open that the grain, amber-colored areas, intergrowths, and natural transitions become visible.
Many of these structures formed over thousands of years within the wood itself. Their complexity and depth of material are virtually impossible for humans to replicate, and they form the basis for the distinctive presence of many later works.
Finite resource with documented provenance
The available Ancient Kauri formations come from historical sites and constitute a limited material resource. New root and trunk formations of this type will no longer develop.
Each selected slab therefore has a documented provenance with its own unique identification number and is also part of the finite physical legacy of New Zealand’s kauri forests.
Handcrafted Collectibles from a Single Source
All works are created entirely in Beaupoil’s studio. He personally selects the materials, develops the form, and crafts each piece. The result is a small number of exclusive, one-of-a-kind collector’s items produced each year, each with its own unique material composition, a unique serial number, and a traceable provenance.
From the moment it is recovered in New Zealand to its final crafting in the studio, its origin remains a visible part of every single design object.
