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This Mother’s Day, iconic design house GUBI present an exhibition that transcends design to honour women as creators, educators, and cultural anchors. In partnership with UNICEF Denmark, and facilitated by Auctionet and Paalsgard Kunstauktioner, three exquisite reimaginings of Pierre Paulin's iconic Pacha Chair are now available in a charity auction. Each winning bid contributes directly to UNICEF’s vital work supporting mothers and children across the globe.
Hosted digitally on Auctionet’s platform, the auction features exclusive, one-of-a-kind art pieces by textile artist Nina Ferlov and Guatemalan women’s collective Pura Utz. The auction runs until 3 June 2025.
Sign up at Auctionet today to place a bid, bookmark your favourites or to monitor your future must-haves.
The Artworks
"Pachamama" by Pura Utz
Glass bead embroidery on GUBI Pacha Chair. Origin: Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.
Pura Utz—co-founded by Bernabela Sapalú and Anna Waller Andrés—draws deeply from Mayan traditions and the Andean goddess Pachamama. Their creation bursts with symbolism: fertility, rebirth, and resilience all rendered in approximately 244,000 hand-threaded glass beads.
Dedicated craftmanship by Pura Utz-team.
Crafted by six full-time artisans over two weeks, this chair blossoms with floral embroidery that flows across the surface like a living tapestry. It is more than furniture; it is a sculpture of strength, echoing the stories of the women who created it.
Pachamama is a vibrant tribute to fertility, rebirth and resilience, hand-beaded with over 244,000 glass beads.
"Flowing Knowledge" by Nina Ferlov
Two editions of silk embroidery on GUBI Pacha Chairs. Origin: Denmark
In her two handcrafted chairs, Nina Ferlov captures the fluid, intergenerational transmission of women’s knowledge. Silk threads are layered like watercolour, merging artistry with storytelling. The tactile surfaces evoke quiet strength—an ode to the nurturing, enduring force of education passed from mother to child.
Nina Ferlov in her studio.
Delicate silk threads layered like watercolour capture the quiet strength of women’s wisdom passed from generation to generation.
These works are both contemplative and functional, upholstered in Dedar’s elegant Lupo Special Diagonal Bouclé, with a luxurious Pearl Gold swivel base.
Partner Spotlight: Nicolai from Palsgaard Kunstauktioner
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Nicolai Palsgaard Christensen - Founder of Palsgaard Kunstauktioner in Brøndby, Denmark.
Nicolai, what does this project for GUBI and UNICEF mean to you?
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of Mother Made. This isn’t just about art—it’s about what art can do. At Palsgaard Kunstauktioner, we’ve always believed that auctions can be a tool for change. Seeing these pieces come to life and knowing that their proceeds support education and maternal health—it’s humbling. Hosting this on Auctionet allows us to bring global attention to local craftsmanship and global needs.”
What excites you most about this collaboration?
“The collaboration itself. Bringing together GUBI’s design innovation, Pura Utz’s cultural storytelling, Nina Ferlov’s artistry, and UNICEF’s humanitarian mission—this is the kind of synergy that reminds us why we do what we do.”
Tell us about Pierre Paulin’s original Pacha Chair design
“Paulin’s Pacha Chair is a masterpiece of mid-century modern design—bold, joyful, and unapologetically sculptural. It is both playful and deeply sophisticated. Designed in 1975, it was ahead of its time in softening the modernist aesthetic with organic forms and low-slung comfort. Seeing it reinterpreted by contemporary female artists for this project adds a powerful new chapter to its legacy—honouring not only its form but its potential as a vehicle for storytelling and change.”
How to Participate
Place your bid online at Auctionet. If you are not already a member, sign up here.
The auction closes on the 3 of June 2025 and 100% of proceeds go to UNICEF Denmark to support:
Safe childbirth environments
Access to clean water
Education in marginalised communities
Sign up at Auctionet today to place a bid, bookmark your favourites or to monitor your future must-haves
