Jonas Bohlin
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a "Concrete" armchair, reportedly the original, the one exhibited at Konstfack, Stockholm 1981.
Concrete and iron. Height 89,5 cm, width 49 cm, depth 57 cm, seat height 45,5 cm.
Provenance
Janek Björklund (1949-1917), Qvartinge Antikhandel/FORM 1900
Exhibitions
Reportedly, this is the very first "Concrete" chair that was first shown at Konstfack's exhibition for graduates in 1981. The model obtained the "Utmärkt Svensk Form" in 1983.
Literature
Exhibition catalogue for UNGA möbel FORMGIVARE : Utställning på Svenska Möbelmässan 3-7 feb 1982, sida 30.
FORM, Svenska Slöjdföreningens tidskrift, 1983, nr 3/4, see the chair illustrated p 92.
Monica Boman (ed), "Svenska Möbler 1890-1990", Signum, Lund 1991, see the chair illustrated from Anja Notini, "Made in Sweden", Wiken, p 434.
More information
Post-Modernism became the prevalent style in the 1980's, both Internationally as well as in Sweden. However, that interior designer Jonas Bohlin decided to execute parts of his thesis project at Konstfack Stockholm in the spring of 1981 the way he did, was probably less of an reaction against the standards put up by the Swedish authorities. It was probably rather a result of his earlier experiences with casting in concrete that gave him the idea that this was something interesting to include in his installation called "Labyrintformel" (a formula for mazes).
The chair was later the same year shown at the Stockholm International Furniture and Design Fair where Sven Lundh of Källemo discovered it and much appreciated the innovative and conceptual about the chair.
Bohlin and Källemo began a cooperation. The chair was named Concrete and it was executed in a limited edition of 100 chairs of concrete and iron tubes and in an unlimited edition executed in wood and iron tubes.
Sven Lundh's idea of making furniture design in limited editions was a way of diminishing the limits between art and utilitarian works of art.
Designer
Jonas Bohlin is a Swedish interior architect and designer born in Stockholm. He studied at Konstfack in Stockholm where he also worked as a professor. Bohlin's graduation project garnered great attention: the "Concrete" armchair, crafted from steel and concrete. In the 1980s the chair sparked a debate as to what constitutes as art? Bohlin's designs balance emotion and reason, challenging conventional assumptions.
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