Richard Yasmine recreates the city and the Tower of Babel as furniture for 5vie

Furniture items when viewed in isolation can often project a very mundane silhouette, despite the esoteric themes that guide their creation. The reason behind this is the subjective interpretation of most things, feelings and thoughts that guide the creative process of almost all designers. A potent method, then, to represent the idea behind these utilitarian creations can be their placement in a given setting or space. Richard Yasmine, an interior designer and product designer from Lebanon, aims to do exactly this with his ‘Woven Whispers’ furniture collection at 5vie design district during the upcoming Milan Design Week. Keeping with the times, Yasmine will also unveil ‘Furrybum/Softbum’, a digital art collection during the design week.

The ‘Woven Whispers’ furniture collection is crafted by the Lebanese designer in an attempt to preserve our dying cultural heritage and revive an interest in the traditions and techniques that have enriched and defined our cultures. Additionally, the usage of artisanal methods to craft out shapes and forms that ascribe to contemporary global aesthetics help bridge the gap between the ancient and modern, and between the East and West. Yasmine employed some of the most primitive modes and techniques of furniture making known to mankind, in order to form this collection that references ancient totemic creations. Rattan, woven in the archaic wicker technique that has travelled across the globe from ancient Egypt to Persia to Rome, thus resulting in its worldwide promulgation.

Yasmine collaborated with several craftsmen to authentically recreate this ancient style of weaving dyed ropes, rattan and wood. The result is a collection of objects that evoke archaic cultures and their respective representative architectures and articles. These subtly ornamented creations serve as physical expressions of a time when the society was more brutal and the objects designed were suffused with the aesthetic and warmth of the earth.

At Milan, Yasmine’s ‘Woven Whispers’ will be assembled as an installation which will serve as a mini impersonation of the city and the Tower of Babel. Fulfilling the dual role of reviving attention towards archaic crafts and representing the staggered social system, the installation will serve as the origin point for several conversations and introspections during the Italian design fair. The hanging ropes from the defining monolithic installation is a metaphor for the harmony and solidarity that unifies and helps keep a balance between the stratified sections of the society.

Yasmine’s ‘Furrybum/Softbum’ digital art collection stands in direct contrast to his ‘Woven Whispers’ furniture pieces. They are inspired from the naive illustrations that one would draw and look at as a kid. Picking up the primary shapes, textures and characteristics of these objects and drawings, the Lebanese designer has crafted 3D armchairs that appear cartoonish yet dreamy, simple and unostentated yet sublimily powerful. Furrybum is finished in pastel synthetic fur or black fur and Softbum is covered in silky primary colours. Both of them utilise the very basic shapes such as triangles, squares and circles in their design, while also representing the features associated with these shapes.

Richard Yasmine’s ‘Woven Whispers’ and ‘Furrybum/Softbum’ will be presented at Via Cesare Correnti 14 and 5VIE Galleria respectively during Milan Design Week 2022.

STIR takes you on a Milanese sojourn! Experience Salone del Mobile and all the design districts - 5vie, Brera, Fuorisalone, Isola, Zona Tortona, and Durini - with us. STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2022, Meanwhile in Milan showcases the best exhibits, moods, studios, events, and folks to look out for. We are also excited to announce our very own STIR press booth at Salone del Mobile - Hall 5/7 S.14, Fiera Milano RHO.