yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity

the publication traces more than a decade of chair design through new photography, archival material, and essays.

thomai tsimpou August 4, 2026 4 min

the chair as a vehicle for storytelling

Yinka Ilori turns his attention to the object that first defined his practice with Chairman, his first comprehensive publication, due out from ORO Editions in fall 2026. The 120-page volume examines more than a decade of chair-based works through the lenses of memory, migration, identity, and craft.

Long before his large-scale public installations and colorful architectural commissions became internationally recognized, Ilori built his practice by collecting discarded chairs and transforming them through vivid colors, patterned surfaces, and narratives rooted in the storytelling traditions of his Nigerian upbringing. Chairman looks back at these early works, tracing how reused furniture became the foundation of a broader design language shaped by his British-Nigerian heritage and London’s multicultural landscape. New photography, archival material, and studio documentation offer a closer look at how Ilori’s chair designs have evolved.

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 1 — all images courtesy of Yinka Ilori and ORO Editions, chair photography by Andy Stagg

placing yinka ilori’s work within contemporary design discourse

The book frames the chairs as carriers of social and cultural histories. Essays and interviews explore themes including diasporic identity, sustainability, authorship, and design culture today, offering, at the same time, insight into the British-Nigerian artist and designer’s creative process, from sourcing overlooked furniture to restoring and painting each object. Instead of presenting the chairs purely as design objects, the book examines the stories and cultural references each chair carries.

The publication also situates Ilori’s practice within a wider network of artists, designers, and writers, through contributions from poet and filmmaker Julianknxx, curator and scholar Jareh Das, and designer Martino Gamper, whose own long-standing engagement with found furniture provides an additional perspective on the cultural life of chairs beyond their functional role. The essays expand the discussion from Ilori’s personal practice to broader questions surrounding material culture and contemporary design.

The release from ORO Editions arrives as conversations around decolonizing design histories, material reuse, and alternative narratives within contemporary design continue to gain momentum. While Chairman documents Ilori’s recognizable aesthetic, it reflects on how furniture design is a medium for preserving memory and expressing cultural identity.

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 2 — the book explores yinka ilori’s use of color, pattern, and reclaimed furniture

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 3 — inside chairman, yinka ilori’s first book on his chair-based practice

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 4 — an early chair combines the original wooden frame with brightly patterned upholstery

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 5 — documenting chairs from different stages of Yinka Ilori’s practice

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 6 — Oba pairs a mid-century chair with patterned upholstery and a contrasting painted leg

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 7 — a restored armchair features glossy blue paint, patterned upholstery, and a hanger integrated into the backrest

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 8 — chairs throughout the book combine reclaimed furniture with bold textiles and painted surfaces

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 9 — a sculptural chair combines a green frame with a textile-covered backrest

yinka-ilori-book-chair-vessel-memory-identity-oro-editions-chairman-designboom-large02 — project notes and archival material accompanies the photography

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 10 — monochromatic green finish and curved white detailing breathe new life into the reclaimed chair

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 11 — a pale blue chair incorporates a candle holder into its backrest

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 12 — a director’s chair combines striped upholstery with plant holders integrated into the armrests

yinka-ilori-book-chair-vessel-memory-identity-oro-editions-chairman-designboom-large01 — spread from chairman featuring works from the There is Good in all of Us collection

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 13 — the publication also situates Ilori’s practice within a wider network of artists

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 14 — tracing how reused furniture became the foundation of a broader design language

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 15 — photography, archival material, and studio documentation offer a closer look at how Ilori’s chair designs have evolved

yinka ilori’s new book explores the chair as a vessel for memory and identity - 16 — the 120-page volume examines more than a decade of chair-based works

project info:

name: Chairman

author: Yinka Ilori | @yinka_ilori

publisher: ORO Editions | @oro_editions