Incollect Magazine - Issue 4

2023 Incollect Magazine 85 Solaris Dark Chair by Julian Mayor Twenty First Gallery, New York Renaud Vuaillat from Twenty First Gallery in New York was fascinated with Julian Mayor’s work from the moment he saw it. “What I like in Julian’s work is that even though there are scarifications of straight lines or welds, there are always reflections of organic shapes in the mirrored polished steel surface. The reflective parts are always round.” This is certainly the case with his Solaris Dark, from 2017, made of varnished dark blue steel in an edition of 8 with 4 artist proofs. Each piece is signed and numbered. Solaris looks like a sun, first and foremost, with rays streaming out from its center. This play between the natural and the artificial, the organic qualities of the design and the geometry of its making gives the chair a strange tension but also a kind of balance. It is elegant, calm, and sensual. Proof that great design is a universal language, Galerie SORs in Paris presents the Centaurus chair, part of the Thinness Collection by London-based 06D Atelier produced by Italian craftsmen. A journey into lightness, the origami-like design is constructed with very thin, 2-3 mm steel plates that are folded, welded, ground and finished by hand. The rear of the chair is faceted like a diamond, and together with the lustrous Gold Limited Edition finish, gives the piece the aura of a rare and precious treasure. From Twenty First Gallery in New York comes this captivating work of collectible design by British artist Julian Mayor. Created digitally and built entirely by hand in his workshop, Mayor takes inspiration from mathematics and nature to create his mesmerizing gem-like pieces. The faceted form of Solaris Dark is created with angled panels of glistening polished metal that reveal mysterious patterns and reflections, outlined by molten rivers of patination. Centaurus by 06D Atelier Galerie Sors, Paris The Centaurus chair created in 2019 in Italy by 06D Atelier is a jewel-like object — clean lined, faceted, in a word perfect in every way. It constantly demands attention, in part because of its pure rigorously geometric angularity and in part because of its apparent thinness, which belies a firm structural sturdiness. Jonas Pescettini, from the gallery, says that he is especially attracted to the “different steel folds” which are used in the construction and change the appearance of the chair depending upon the angle from which it is viewed. “As you circle the chair it keeps revealing the play between strength and elegance. The back of the chair is another highlight of the design, featuring a large diamond-shaped sheet of metal. another play on something humanity sees as delicate and refined, while in fact being the hardest material on earth.” The Gold Limited Edition finish is available in a limited edition of 33. The finish is reflective, but not mirror-like, instead it’s glowing, satiny and soft, creating an alluring contrast with the angles of the form.