Kasese Chair
Date: 1999
Commissioned by: Jongeriuslab
Type: Limited edition
Hella Jongerius discovered a beautiful wooden chair on a trip to Africa. It was made by a carpenter from Kasese Uganda and its material, form and function fascinated her with their inherent poetry. As a contemporary designer working with western industrial techniques and materials, the challenge was to come up with her own interpretation of that sensitivity and character. Hella has changed the chair into a typical western product: a folding chair, thus linking crafts with new technology: High-tech / Low tech.
She made two versions: the Kasese Sheep Chair with a covering of handmade wool/silk felt (felt design: Not Tom, Dick & Harry), and the Kasese Foam Chair with a more industrial look. The foam covering gives the chair a more contemporary and western image.