‘thonet no. 18’ by matthias pliessnig, 2007

matthias pliessnig is a master of stretching the structural limits of wood. this new piece of work pays tribute to an old master: thonet, the originator of the mass-produced bent-wood chair. pliessnig’s chair is made from a thonet no. 18 vienna cafe chair wrapped with steam-bent oak.

the strips are woven together to avoid the use of glue and to make the process as quick and improvised as possible… like drawing in space.