From concrete chair art to burnt pine wood

Jonas Bohlin's graduation chair sparked debate. Not only that, the question was whether it could be accepted as a chair. It became a controversy that in the 1980s started the conversation about what art should and could be.

When Bohlin showed his degree project from Konstfack at the Furniture Fair in 1981, participants were greeted by concrete and steel pipes, the use of materials more reminiscent of multi-million dollar developments than furniture production. The shape was a chair, but almost provocatively uncomfortable.

The founder of the furniture company Källemo, Sven Lundh, did not need to draw a line between art and furniture. He believed that quality was not in the material but in something intangible that determined whether the design would stand the test of time. Jonas Bohlin's chair was named Concrete and in collaboration with Källemo it was released in 100 copies. It became the first limited edition of a piece of furniture in the industry and Sven Lundh's way of blurring the line between art and utility objects.

Concrete KOL Limited Edition

Källemo

40 years after the creation of Concrete, it's time for a new limited edition: Concrete KOL. The industry has changed, nowadays the step between art and furniture is not such a big one anymore. Limited editions are appreciated for their originality and independent expression. Jonas Bohlin is one of Sweden's foremost interior designers, and Källemo is one of our most recognised furniture manufacturers, responsible for a number of modern classics and museum pieces.

Concrete KOL is produced in an edition of 100 copies, numbered and signed. Once again, the choice of materials is in focus. The design utilises a centuries-old Japanese tradition of burning wood with an open flame to create strength and durability. Jonas Bohlin, who has exhibited several times in Tokyo, draws inspiration from the Japanese technique when he makes today's chair hard-burned. With copper-treated frames and Norrland heart pine protected by linseed oil varnish, Concrete KOL is a commentary on burning forests and an endangered environment. Not only a unique expression, but also a piece of furniture that is sustainable in the long run.