Sculptural Cast Iron & Bronze Accent Chair

Name: Sculptural Cast Iron & Bronze Accent Chair
Brand: Chen Chen & Kai Williams
Price: 12500 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Earthy and grounded cast iron chair with striking Kintsugi-inspired bronze "vein" detail by Chen Chen and Kai Williams. This leathered cast iron and bronze chair by Chen and Kai was originally commissioned for a 2021 exhibition entitled 'Cast Iron', in which eight artists from around the world were tasked with digitally designing exclusive editions of furniture, lighting or functional decorative objects, which the gallery would then facilitate production of, with the help of a fourth generation foundry in Virginia. Each of the digital pieces would be materialized in cast iron, the quintessential symbol of the 19th century. The focus of the exhibition was to marry the material’s origins with the new-age digital hyper-connectivity of design ideas. The 'Bronze Vein Chair' was designed in the spirit of Wabi Sabi, to emphasize the seam lines which are normally an undesirable artifact of the casting process. The bronze welds are like a structural version of 'Kintsugi', with the bronze being much more valuable than the cast iron, and the visible "mending" adding an element of functional beauty to the whole. This fulsome cast iron and bronze chair can be specially treated to be suitable for outside (please inquire for this option as there is an additional lead time for outdoor finishing). The exquisite hand-applied finish appears soft, and resembles supple leather to the eye. The form of the seat is curved to the natural contours of the body, and is remarkably comfortable for being constructed entirely of metal. A stunning, monumental addition to any space, interior or exterior. "Ten years ago, Murray Moss asked us to repair an old cast iron task chair. When we looked into the process we realized it was like a structural version of kintsugi. The repairing weld is made of bronze which is much more valuable than the broken cast iron. Our work looks maximalist, but we were educated at Pratt in a very Bauhaus lineage, to use the necessary structural elements as decoration. Seam lines are undesirable traces of the manufacturing process, here we have emphasized them in bronze as an accent to the piece." — Chen Chen & Kai Williams, on discovering the design process that led to the creation of this piece. About the Design Studio: Chen Chen & Kai Williams is a design studio that explores materials and new ways to use them. The studio invents new techniques and materials or diverts common industrial supplies to off-label applications. Chen Chen and Kai Williams met while attending the Pratt Institute and founded their studio in New York City in 2011. The studio creates a wide range of products from hand made one-off and limited production collectible works to manufacturing specialty home goods carried by retailers around the world. Whatever the method, an overarching sensitivity to materials and production processes carries through every object.

Creator:

Chen Chen & Kai Williams (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 31.5 in (80.01 cm)Diameter: 18 in (45.72 cm)Seat Height: 19 in (48.26 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Bronze,Iron,Cast,Welded

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

21st Century

Date of Manufacture:

2021