Éditions 8888 launches the dark and enigmatic 'Ghost Limbs' furniture collection

Éditions 8888 is a Montreal-based studio that focuses on crafting unique and dystopian furniture designs as well as zany objects of art. Founded by Jean-Michel Gadoua, Éditions 8888 questions conventional lifestyles and subsequently, our design priorities. They embrace discomfort by glorifying imperfections and the grotesque, as a means of breaking away from banality. This philosophy celebrates and uplifts raw materials and spontaneous gestures, while contrasting industrial and impersonal manufacturing.

The design collective based in Canada creates objects that represent an eerie yet luxurious aesthetic, offering a new form of optimism in acknowledging the context of a dystopian world. Their influences span the Quebec counterculture, movements such as Brutalism and Postmodernism, apart from science fiction blended with elements of noise, punk, and metal music. Their core philosophy of Brutaluxe, meaning, a blend of Brutalism and luxury, forms their eclectic design approach. This thoroughly manifests in their second design collection Ghost Limbs, named after the phenomenon in which individuals experience imaginary pain in amputated limbs.

Cloaked in hues of darkness, the all-black Ghost Limbs collection by Éditions 8888 was launched on November 3, 2022, during an exhibition presented in Montreal. The series draws inspiration from both the seen and unseen aspects of existence, including ghosts, as well as the premeditated passing of Gadoua's mother. This contemporary design collection emphasises the inherent expressiveness of raw materials as well while showcasing the minimalist and enigmatic style of the furniture designer, who is also an artist known for tackling dark themes.

Gadoua's latest collection comprises seven new product designs, characterised by their monolithic and dark aesthetic, essentially serving as vessels catering to an afterlife narrative. The 'Early Death Armoire' is a classic pine armoire inspired by the Nouvelle-France style. 'Floorburster' is the collection's ottoman made of luscious black leather, with an organic, sculptural form. The metallic, brutal, and quiet 'Phantom Bench' is an illusion-creating angular seating with a blackened steel finish. The 'Phantom Hall Chair' is a definite statement, a decorative chair design with a similar blackened steel finish, its tall form attesting to its classical inspiration. Ghost Limbs also features a 3-piece seating set called 'Possession,' which is customisable and elegant with black leather covers. Similarly, 'Sarcophagus' is a daybed and bench hybrid meant to appear as a vessel for humans, with uber comfortable interiors. Lastly, 'Teleportation' is a monolithic, living room coffee table with a portal-like window on top that allows users to view what is stored within. The collection shares a black monochrome finish and the peculiar, Brutalist-informed style of the artist and product designer. It also explores what interior design and furniture pieces can do in synthesis, while provoking contemplation.

(Text by Aatmi Chitalia, Intern at STIR)