Could a single spool of ribbon be an inspiration for feted French furniture designer Pierre Paulin? Yes, indeed! Realised in 1966, Paulin was inspired by the fluid motion of the ribbon when unreeled from its spool. His idea to turn a ribbon into a chair is quite intriguing because how can one freeze-frame a soft, billowy material into a sturdy armchair? The end result is a sculptural chair that epitomises the adage “poetry in motion”. One will observe that the seat, armrest and backrest are made from one piece of well-engineered upholstery supported by a sinuous metal frame that forms the core. A lacquered pressed wooden foot comes in several coloured options such as white, black, red, light grey or silver grey. Manufactured in the Netherlands by Artifort, this Gallic creation remains as a classic in the history of modern furniture design. Paulin’s training as a sculptor attests to his ingenuity and his ability to realise his own vision. His posthumous work is inarguably a firm favourite among design aficionados.
Artifort is available at XTRA.
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