{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O72610"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72610/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU1797/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU1797/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU1797","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU1799","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O72610","accessionNumber":"W.2-1995","objectType":"Chair","titles":[{"title":"Ply Chair","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"Towards the end of the 1980s a new spirit of functionalism and simplicity was perceived in the design of furniture, and one of the chief protagonists was Jasper Morrison. \r\n\nIn 1988, Morrison participated in Designwerkstatt Berlin, part of the city's programme of events during its term as European City of Culture. His installation, 'Some New Items for the Home, Part I' at the DAAD Gallery featured a sparsely furnished room with just a few deceptively simple objects: a table, three chairs, and three green glass bottles. Later, Morrison commented: 'The main reason the Plywood Chair looks the way it does is that I had to make it myself, and the only equipment I had was an electric jigsaw and some ‘ship’s curves’. So it became a project to cut shapes out of a plywood sheet and reassemble them to make something three-dimensional. I found that by using a thin sheet of ply for the seat and curving the cross bars below it, I could achieve a cushioning effect, which in some way compensates for other, less accommodating features. After that I did a model with the back filled in, which was more comfortable but less exciting.' One year after the exhibition in Berlin, Vitra began to produce both versions of the chair.\n\nThis plywood chair embodies Morrison's approach.  It is reduced to a very simple shape, merely a seat, four legs and the outline of the back, made from humble undecorated plywood. In a sense it can be compared to a sketch of a chair, since it appears to comprise only the most essential and primary elements needed to construct one. But a closer look reveals that it is a far from simplistic design. While the front legs and seat appear to be geometric and right-angled, the shape of the chair back and rear legs are fluid, like a freehand drawing, or the profile of a stringed instrument like a guitar or violin. The controlled curvaceousness of this part of the chair adds sensousness to what could otherwise be an overly simplistic design.","physicalDescription":"A chair, without arms, constructed from plywood, glue and screws.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Morrison, Jasper","id":"A1076"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Vitra","id":"A5797"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plywood","id":"AAT12849"},{"text":"veneer","id":"AAT12855"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sawing","id":"AAT53072"},{"text":"","id":""}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Laminated plywood, with birch face veneer. The only equipment used to make the chair was an electric jigsaw.","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Interiors","id":"THES48933"},{"text":"Household objects","id":"THES48939"},{"text":"Shekou","id":"THES279777"},{"text":"Values of Design","id":"THES279818"},{"text":"Design Society","id":"THES279819"}],"styles":[{"text":"New Functionalism","id":"x36181"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AU1797","2006AU1799"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES343816"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1990","earliest":"1990-01-01","latest":"1990-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.1-1995","id":"O72604"},"association":"Version"}],"creditLine":"Given by the manufacturer","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"85","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"40","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"50","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Customer / Objekt / 02071 11.95 / 002 40501820 / MONTAGE-L : 2 / Ply Chair mi / vitra","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Adhesive label on underside of chair"},{"content":"LGA / Nurnburg / geprüfte / Sicherheit","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Adhesive label on underside of chair"}],"objectHistory":"The spareness and simplicity of the design is in the Modernist tradition. Morrison's use of the material and its natural colour represent a more human version of Modernism. It avoids the grand gesture of any kind of extravagance. This has been his most influential design. it summarized what would become the concerns of 1990s design. It introduced a new type of Modernism, that was softer, sparer, purer, more natural.  \r\nA version of this chair was exhibited by Morrison at the 1988 Werkstadt Berlin, where it was seen by Rolf Fehlbaum, the owner of Vitra. In 1989 Vitra began manufacturing this chair, as part of its limited edition 'Edition' range.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Ply-chair with back designed by Jasper Morrison, 1990","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Manufactured by Vitra for 'Edition' range.\n\nReason For Production: Retail","productionType":{"text":"Limited edition","id":"THES48862"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"plywood","id":"AAT12849"},{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"103-6\r\n\r\nPLY-CHAIR\r\nDesigned by Jasper Morrison (British, born 1959), 1989\r\nMade by Vitra GmbH, Germany\r\nLaminated plywood with birch veneer\r\n\r\nThe Ply-chair was first put into production by Vitra in 1989 after it was shown by Morrison at the Werkstadt Berlin in 1988. The Ply-chair with Back and Ply-Table were added to the range in 1990. The pieces are part of the firm's limited run 'Edition' range.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGiven by Vitra\r\nW.2-1995","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.2-1995"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1995,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-06","recordCreationDate":"2003-01-07","availableToBook":true}}