lee sisan’s silver chair is made of RIMOWA’s luggage pieces + cast aluminum branches

Neo-Primitive silver chair by Lee Sisan

Designer and artist Lee Sisan has collaborated with high-quality luggage maker RIMOWA to bring a distinctive aluminum chair to life. Called ‘Neo-Primitive’, this sleek piece of furniture is designed with unexpected materials to be displayed at the ‘As Seen by’ exhibition in South Korea. As its name reveals, it seeks to give a fresh touch to old materials, exuding a mysterious aura that oscillates between natural and artificial.

all images by Lee Sisan, unless stated otherwise

harmony of nature and artifact

Through this project, Lee Sisan (see more here) explores the affinity between nature, artifacts, and humans. ‘Neo-Primitive’ is assembled by cast aluminum branches and grooved aluminum sheets employed for RIMOWA’s luggage pieces. Tree branches borrowed from nature and clad in aluminum by sand casting serve as the legs of the chair. Aluminum sheets connected with bolts stand on top of this organic skeleton creating a delicate connection of opposed forms and textures. The one-of-a-kind aluminum chair rises to 1,8 meters, with its rear branch leg emerging from behind the intricate back sheet.

The skeleton of the aluminum throne is achieved by leaning the branches on each other to support the aluminum sheets. At first glance, the piece may seem fragile or unstable because of its delicate components. Nevertheless, the chair not only stands as a statement piece in the room but also as strong furniture. This juxtaposition of materials and dynamics adds to its mysterious appearance, inviting the brave ones to give it a try.