junya ishigami: picnic at interieur 2010 kortrijk image © designboom
japanese architect and designer junya ishigami is the guest of honor of the 2010 interieur biennale in kortrijk, belgium. he has envisioned ‘picnic’ a mise-en-scene of his furniture ‘drop table’, ‘garden plate’ and ‘family’ chairs, produced by italian manufacturer living divani to present on the occasion.
a ‘light and white’ world, where dreams and reality meet… 
family chairs and garden plate image © designboom
conventionally, furniture is considered to be no more than tools to its users. ishigami explores this notion by proposing ‘celebratory furniture’ which blends in with the activity of the people and into the surrounding environment. tables and chairs are arranged in the space and mimic a crowd of socializing people:
‘chairs embrace or turn away from each other, or form a line and hold hands. they may even form a circle around the garden,’ says junya ishigami. ‘distorted chairs around the table look like a family talking to each other‘.
garden plate image © designboom
‘normally furniture fits in daily life and it is designed with a certain functionality – this is not enough for these chairs and tables. I wanted to create a certain atmosphere… with a social function. if you go out for a ‘picnic’ –and that is the title of the installation–you are in a relaxed mind setting, you go out somewhere with your family members, and that’s the kind of atmosphere I wanted to propose to visitors with these furniture pieces. I hope people will enjoy and be more able to relax .’ – junya ishigami.
installation view image © designboom
family chairs image © designboom
family chairs image © designboom
detail of the wire frames with crocheted seating coversimage © designboom
installation view image © designboom
image © designboom
junya ishigami portrait © designboom
