Dananjay Anandan wrote this article.
Many years ago, I first saw one of these chairs at a relative's home where it served as a thoughtful convenience next to the shoe racks.
Many years ago, I first saw one of these chairs at a relative's home where it served as a thoughtful convenience next to the shoe racks.
The stern, simple, straight lines, the sudden detail of the three-leaved clover motif at the three ends of the chair top made the chair memorable and in need of celebration.
The charm of classic craftsmanship coupled with a contemporary design ethic made an aesthetic whole. I still love everything about this chair!
It's made of Sesame wood, which, I found out -- along with Mango, Acacia and Teak -- is one of the most common in this part of India.
I also came to know that Sesame wood has - what is called - heartwood.
Heartwood has an extremely durable, interlocked grain and shares the heat-resistant qualities of teak.
My wondering also led me to a place that contained an interesting side note on "Sesame" and its use in the famous phrase:
But underneath its seemingly rudimentary, utilitarian design lies a disarmingly comfortable chair.
Once seated, I didn't miss the portions absent from the conventional mental image of the chair. Of course, it's also not something that you might fall asleep on. I find it good for short, focused sittings when I have a lot of thinking to do.
The maker's label on the chair refers to it as a "picnic chair" but the helpful person at the shop mentioned it's also called the "yoga chair" because it cradles the spine in perfection.
Also, from this angle, the front looks like one of those Japanese temple gates full of mystery, longing, and danger.
Beautiful!
The charm of classic craftsmanship coupled with a contemporary design ethic made an aesthetic whole. I still love everything about this chair!
It's made of Sesame wood, which, I found out -- along with Mango, Acacia and Teak -- is one of the most common in this part of India.
I also came to know that Sesame wood has - what is called - heartwood.
Heartwood has an extremely durable, interlocked grain and shares the heat-resistant qualities of teak.
My wondering also led me to a place that contained an interesting side note on "Sesame" and its use in the famous phrase:
"The explanation given to me many years ago by a distinguished Persianist was that sesame wood was used to make doors, and that addressing a door as Sesame was no different from the Cambridge practice of referring to a study door as an "oak." (In student slang, "sporting the oak" was banging on a fellow student's door.)"
But underneath its seemingly rudimentary, utilitarian design lies a disarmingly comfortable chair.
Once seated, I didn't miss the portions absent from the conventional mental image of the chair. Of course, it's also not something that you might fall asleep on. I find it good for short, focused sittings when I have a lot of thinking to do.
The maker's label on the chair refers to it as a "picnic chair" but the helpful person at the shop mentioned it's also called the "yoga chair" because it cradles the spine in perfection.
Also, from this angle, the front looks like one of those Japanese temple gates full of mystery, longing, and danger.
Beautiful!
This is quite a fascinating celebration, Dananjay! I enjoy the "rediscovery" of the every day object. It certainly makes the rest of us pause to look around at the crafty art surrounding us all.
Bravo!
Thank you, David! I enjoyed writing the article and the things I learned while I was writing it. It's truly amazing how much thought has gone into something like this.
I was impressed with your subject, Dananjay, and your writing and re-writing of the article was spectacular to watch. You understand in your core that writing is re-working what you wrote over and over again to make it clearer and more effective and you certainly won the day on all those counts!
Beautiful chair, and beautiful writing. :) I can't help but wondering how we in the United States could get such an awesome chair.
David!
Thank you again! My reworking of a first draft is almost always a very private and intimate thing so I'm happy to have your feedback!
Hi Gordon!
Thank you! I'm sure you can have something like this made by a skilled craftsman in your city. Or I can find out and mail you if they can ship a piece from here!
Fabulous article Dananjay!
I envy your capability of writing so beautifully on such abstract matter.
The chair simply looks classic.
Very uncommon - I have never seen something elegant like this here.
Where do you get it?
Hi Katha!
Thank you! It really is something special isn't it? details in the mail!
Thanks a lot Dananjay!
"Cottage Industry"! That's why!!! Will run there for sure!!!
Katha!
Yes! Hope you find this and other interesting things there!