The Gift of the Spirit Handmade Armchair by Johann Sigmarsson |
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| DESIGN NAME: The Gift of the Spirit PRIMARY FUNCTION: Handmade Armchair INSPIRATION: The idea for the Equator Memorial Project had its genesis in a bed Johann Sigmarsson designed and made in 2011. Friends and acquaintances showed immediate interest and he was soon commissioned to make another one as a wedding anniversary gift. Sigmarsson went on to build shelves, an armchair with leather seats, and a desk with leather trimmings. Word got around about his furniture making and eventually a small group of people began to form around the current project. In May 2012, Sigmarsson was watching a report on the evening news about the Association of Icelandic Ports and its intention to refurbish the Reykjavík Harbor. Apparently, much of the jetty was to be removed and discarded. It occurred to him then that the wood might be recycled and used to make furniture. And this was the beginning of a brand new idea. In autumn, a group headed by Sigmarsson obtained permission to take the wood being thrown away by the Reykjavík Harbor. He then began to dry and plane it in preparation for the project. He soon discovered that much of the material was perfect for what he had in mind, i.e. stylish handmade furniture. Aside from being environmentally friendly, this recycling was also a kind of resurrection. Way back in 1903, the very same material was used to construct a dock for the herring fleet, which later became a part of the Reykjavik Harbor that was constructed between 1913 and 1917. Closer examination revealed that the some of the wood originally came from a German schooner that sank off the south coast of Iceland in 1890. The vessel was brought to Reykjavik and disassembled for scrap. Fascinatingly, research indicated that that the trees may have been more than 200 years old when they were first used for shipbuilding. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Handmade armchair with leather cushions, oil varnished. Solid Pinewood, recycled from Reykjavík Harbor. It has a rounded wooden back and the arms extend together forming a semicircle. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: - PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Name of the piece; The Gift of the Spirit. Place of origin: Iceland. Date: 2012-2013 FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Fine Arts and Art Installation Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Recycled 100 years old solid Pinewood from Reykjavík Harbor. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Size 79 x 80 x 67cm TAGS: The Gift of the Spirit, handmade armchair, recycled wood. RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Selected for The World Interiors News Annual Awards 2013 2013 – The Art of Being Icelandic. Group exhibition in Reykjavík City Hall. In co-operation with Reykjavík UNESCO, City of Literature. Designed and handmade furniture in old pinewood recycled from Reykjavík Harbor, which was constructed between 1913 and 1917. CHALLENGE: To get and prepare the wood. ADDED DATE: 2013-11-07 14:14:16 TEAM MEMBERS (2) : Handmade & design by Johann Sigmarsson and Upholstered by Agust Orvar Agustsson IMAGE CREDITS: Aasa Charlotta, Johann Sigmarsson |
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NAME: The Equator Memorial Project PROFILE: The project presented here is entitled the Equatorial Memorial Project, an international itinerant collaboration of artists who exhibit and sell handcrafted furniture and artifacts from recycled wood and historical monuments. The project has its origins in furniture designed and built by Johann Sigmarsson in 2011, using wood from the Reykjavík harbor, which was otherwise destined to be destroyed when the harbor underwent refurbishment. The project is to create artifacts and functional objects by recycling historical materials from all over the world. So far, we have managed to acquire such materials from the Reykjavík Harbor, the Port of Hamburg, the Berlin Wall and Hiroshima. Plans have been drawn up to obtain memento materials from 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and from the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane, which has been preserved untouched since almost all its inhabitants were massacred on June 10, 1944. To manage the implementation of the project, the private company 40.074KM was established in August 2013. The company name is derived from the length of Earth 's equator in kilometers. The mission is to design, create and present a new functional objects and art pieces from recycled world memento materials. The intention is to form a small group of artists who travel between countries, building functional objects and creating artworks from historical monuments. It will be established in cooperation with other artists and businesses, in the countries were the materials derive. When the project is completed it will be exhibited on a specific heritage site or at galleries or museums suitable for the project. The first exhibition opened in June 28th 2013 at Reykjavik City Hall in cooperation with UNESCO. |
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The Gift of The Spirit Handmade Armchair by Johann Sigmarsson is Runner-up for A' Design Award in Furniture Design Category, 2013 - 2014.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Johann Sigmarsson. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Johann Sigmarsson. |
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