The Wild Bodged Chair

The Wild Bodged Chair

By Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers in collaboration with Gabriel Lopez. Oaxaca, Mexico. 2012

Mexican designer Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers, living in London and Mexico City, has given rise to a beautiful collaboration with Oaxacan artisan Gabriel Lopez creating intriguing, one-of- a-kind handcrafted furniture pieces. The objects bring the soul of the Oaxacan artisan and the Universe of the San Jose del Pacifico, together with the energetic, emerging contemporary design talent of Valentina.

The pieces reflect the rich Oaxacan culture and crafts, which are strongly communicated within the finalised pieces and the stories they are capable to radiate. The objects carry a powerful emotional value through their inherent narrative. They re-stage something forgotten, overlooked – dead wood, yet not dead at all – and rescue that natural and nearly decaying produce from the forests to convey it back to our consciousness through a genius act of joint forces, which is manifested in the artisan-designer relationship. The ready pieces are both sculptural art as well as fully functional furniture. They can be used indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, the narrative can take hold again and even more forceful – in the sense of ʻfrom nature back to natureʼ – the natural environment will once more take care of the specimen. Plants can grow through the structure; natural forces will instinctively affect their future appearance. Hence, it will yet to be seen in what way they will transform.

BID12 – Special Mention

Mexico, Product Design

BID is an Ibero-American design event which is held every two years in Madrid. Is one of the most important events for the promotion of contemporary design that is carried out in Latin America, Spain and Portugal. It includes a large exhibition, conferences and workshops, etc