imm cologne 09: 'composite lounge' by stephen burks

‘composite lounge’ – bar image © designboom

at the imm cologne fair stephen burks displayed his installation ‘composite lounge’, addressing the impact of the global furnishings industry and issues such as ecological crisis, and political instability. using pieces donated by italian brand moroso, burks turned furniture on its head, arranging it like discarded pile-ups in an abstract urban setting complete with streetlights and dumpsters in a ‘sit where you can’ lounge like environment. streetlights are illuminated and strapped together providing an amalgamation of seating possibilities. the bar is constructed from strapped together plastic milk crates adorned with pillows set inside one of the displaced dumpster interiors. screens on the dumpsters juxtapose stills of burks’ various developing world projects with slick moroso promotional footage, which highlights the complexity, contradictions and pluralistic voice of the global furnishings industry.

‘the composite lounge is intended to call into question the over 70,000 new products introduced each year and what happens to them. are we as an industry considering the life cycle of production? this furniture may have been born in the factory, but just like everything else, will ultimately end up in the dumpster!’

‘composite lounge’ image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ – dumpster image © designboom

‘composite lounge’ image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ – composed of moroso chairs image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ – composed of moroso chairs image © designboom ‘composite lounge’ – composed of moroso chairs image © designboom

more: stephen burks: http://www.readymadeprojects.com