The first glimpse of Knoll Cesca chair in its tinkered avatar reminded me of the No Waste Chair by budding Dutch designer, Kees Dekker (Homecrux caught up with during the Salone del Mobile, Milano 2023). A transparent memoir of items which were prized possession once, the No Waste Chair was a solitary artist’s effort. For the latest collection of a similar guise, Knoll is supportive of designer Noel Mercado.
Mercado, a Chicago-based artist, joins forces with furniture giant Knoll, under the latter’s vision to support emerging artists. Imprinting his signature style, by incorporating waste materials into furniture design, Mercado has recreated three timeless classics into unique artworks.
Each of the reworked Knoll chairs: ‘Cesca’, ‘Spoleto’, and ‘Wassily’, have their own inception story and now new contents to add to their perspectives, which you can appreciate from different viewpoints. In their recreations, while the Cesca is embodiment of transparency in the recycling process; Spoleto adds music symphony; and Wassily weaves belts to “hold up.”
Cesca is by virtue a tubular steel armless chair with cane seat and back. Mercado has transformed this look of the authentic Cesca Knoll by replacing cane with acrylic boxes filled in assorted bits of Little Tree air fresheners. Specific choice of filler is derived from Mercados’ high school days, when he had his favorite Little Tree hanging in his car all the time.
The 1971 Spoleto is a quintessential modern side chair for tighter spaces. The authentic frame of the Spoleto is revised in felt upholstery etched with used car speakers and amp to give it a new meaning and purpose. Finally, the 1925 Wassily, the most iconic chair by Hungarian-American architect Marcel Breuer, has its bicycle frame-inspired design upholstered with salvaged seatbelts that Mercado tells Wallpaper, ‘Holds you up rather than holding you in.
Also Read: In Conversation With Barber Osgerby: The Design Darlings of London
The exciting new chairs, redone with a good intention for the planet, are all handmade by Mercado using the authentic Knoll chair frames. The unique artworks are now available for purchase.
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