Of Nature - Puffed chair

Puffed provides a playful illusion of an inflation, giving the timber a cushioned feel. Wilkinson & Rivera often explore illusion in their work, creating forms that feel unlikely to be made of solid wood. The chair’s wide surface serves in showcasing their choice in timber – Spalted Beech. Chosen for its character and to highlight the character that nature can give to timber. The spalting is the result of a fungi colonising the tree for nutrients, leaving behind marks throughout the wood’s grain.

Handcrafted by the artists in their east London studio, these pieces require tremendous woodworking skill. The result is an intricate design that’s beautiful and tactile. Made in a limited edition of ten.///Description
Puffed is one of four chairs in the Of Nature collection, which marks the beginning of a larger body of work. The project was initially inspired by “Verb List”, an artwork from 1967 by the radical American sculptor Richard Serra. Serra’s Verb List is a handwritten compilation of what he called “actions to relate to oneself, material, place, and process.” The four chair designs are addressed by Wilkinson & Rivera as actions.

Titled Puffed, Wilted, Whipped, and Rippled, the designs are made from four different woods. Each design touches upon traditional woodworking processes: steam-bending, hand-turning, carving, and hand-cut joinery. The duo uses these processes to manipulate the wood in a way that progresses what’s expected of timber furniture.