Colonization has influenced many aspects of our daily lives, including the design of furniture from both a material and aesthetic perspective. With the project “Uprooted,” we aim to shed light on the cultural backgrounds of traditional ethnic manufacturing and cultural practices that are no longer understood in a postcolonial society. These practices have been appropriated over centuries without context or regard for their ethnic significance.
The stories and traditions associated with certain forms and materials represent the true essence of a piece of furniture. This is why we have decided to create a compendium that places furniture into its cultural, historical, and political context. Additionally, scientific aspects such as ecological and economic backgrounds are integrated into our comprehensive analysis of selected furniture pieces.
In terms of structure, we have chosen to divide the book into two main focuses: Form & Material. The first part examines furniture in terms of its culturally specific forms, which have been appropriated over centuries. The second part focuses on materials that found their way into Western craftsmanship as a result of colonization. Within these sections, subchapters explore a wealth of content on selected cultural regions and materials.
