design folio

The Ghost of a Chair

Anna Kidman - Monday, September 19, 2011

 

The Ghost of a Chair by London-based Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers is a limited edition collection of 99  chairs. There is a lady's version without armrest, and a gentleman's version. They are made upon request and can therefore be ordered in any colour. Made from a single 4mm transparent polyester sheet, this unique chair is sculptural in form. The chairs are made through a combination of technology and craftsmanship. Wohlers has transformed a Louis XV chair into a delicate, ghost-like structure. It appears as though a partially transparent sheet has been draped gently over the Louis XV chair. This evokes an era when rooms were not in use: white sheets draped over furniture locked away. Emphasis has been placed on the lovely soft curves of the chair and the pleats full of static movement. The designer quotes Charles Dickens, kindly summarising the idea behind this exquisite yet haunting piece of furniture, 'an idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.'

Story by Sarah McKenzie