Plastic, Leather and Plywood gets Repurposed into this Rippling Chair | Savage Chair

FDT Bureau

Seattle-based designer Jay Sae Jung Oh has created an ongoing series of furniture made from various plastics, leather cords and plywood. Each of her bespoke design from the Savage Series comprises functional seating units and side tables, which are represented by Salon 94 Gallery in New York City, and showcased in the group show Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth in the UK and is on display in the house and garden from March 18 to October 1, 2023. Here is a detailed report on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

Oh’s interests lie in the intersection of art and design, particularly as reconciling the two ideas is an ongoing challenge for her. According to her, “I am always trying to combine them without losing the essence of each field.” Being trained in sculpture and 3D design, Oh worked with designer Gaetano Pesce on several projects including furniture installations and product design.

Her Savage series were initially made using mundane, mass-produced objects that are affixed together with epoxy and adhesive, after which the entire volume was wrapped with jute string. However, her latest rendition of the series wraps the objects in leather. Each of her bespoke pieces takes nearly four months to complete.

Resonating with a regal throne, the chair from her Savage series showcases swirls and ripples that create a magnetizing effect on the viewers. The chair indulges the viewer to venture into a whimsical game of treasure hunt. On the left side of the chair, a drum with a set of drumsticks is positioned as a part of the chair, while on the right side, a trumpet is held onto by invisible force springs. A round woven basket nestles on the lower left. The handbag subtly replicates the wooden background on the lower right. The right side exhibits a rotating planet that is positioned into the craft, just below the two small-shaped donuts. A leaning drum slack off below protruding plate is situated on the right side.

All these things are stuffed in a leather cove. Several objects are bobbed up and enveloped by a stretchy and sturdy blanket which ceases the objects from bursting out. A triangular house with a triangular entrance is hooked over the upper globe part of a bedpost. A purse is tipped on the roof of the house, while a large forgotten gift box sits at the groundwork of the chair.

A large spinning toy sticks out of the chair from behind, which is mauled by a number of other small toys. Further to the left, a circular rug is flattened on the surface of the chair and slides down. Adjacent to the slipping rug is a burrowed French horn, obvious electric guitar tilts are suspended at the bottom of the ensemble.

Image credit: Jay Sae Jung Oh