Mimicry Chairs by Nendo

Working in contrast to the often ornate museum surrounding, the studio created a simple chair archetype made from pressed and punched metal which was finished in white to give it an ethereal, almost ghost-like appearance. A solo chair greeted visitors on arrival at the Grand Entrance. This singular statement was the basis for a series of installations located within the museum’s galleries, staircases and corridors. As visitors journeyed through the museum, the chairs were modified and morphed to mimic the particular space they inhabited as well as the surrounding objects. Nendo is run by Oki Sato and Akihiro Ito who have completed scores of projects all over the world since their formation in 2002, ranging in scale from small handheld items, lighting and furniture to major exhibition and retail interiors. “I don’t know many designers who have produced such an astounding number of new works in such a short period. Oki has a curiosity that never stops. He is interested in everything, and always has something to say,” stated Jana Scholze, Curator of Modern Furniture and Product Design at the V&A. “There is a playfulness in Nendo’s work, and a formal simplicity, which is deceptive because the birth of the products can be extremely complex.”