Contemporary Art & Design Presents 'Iron Concrete' by Jonas Bohlin

Jonas Bohlin, 'Iron Concrete'

The epitome of a Swedish design classic is arguably Jonas Bohlin's armchair "Concrete." As part of the designer's thesis project "Labyrinth Formula" at Konstfack in 1981, the chair became the figurehead of the era's liberation from the functional constraints that had characterized furniture design in the preceding decades. Many were captivated by Bohlin's pioneering design, including Sven Lundh, then CEO of the furniture manufacturer Källemo. A collaboration was initiated, and the chair went into production in Värnamo. It was named 'Concrete´, and the edition in concrete and iron was limited to 100 copies. A variant in wood and iron was also produced in an unlimited edition. Lundh's idea of ​​producing furniture in limited editions was a way to blur the boundaries between art and utility objects. "Concrete" subsequently received the "Excellent Swedish Design" award from Svensk Form in 1983.

The version up for auction, entirely made of iron, known as 'Iron Concrete,' was developed in 1987 in a limited edition of 15+2 HC copies. The chair at hand was Jonas Bohlin's personal copy, subsequently exhibited and sold at the Hommage à Jonas Bohlin auction in Stockholm in 2003. This auction was initiated by Bohlin's closure of his architectural firm at Slussen, leading him to sell off all prototypes and personal copies.