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Ara Thorose BOYD Works full collection featuring 5 cylindrical curved chairs and large cylindrical black table with glass surface

The human body has been a key source of inspiration for artists since the beginning of time. From the hyperrealism of the early Renaissance to the abstraction of Cubism, our physicality has been heavily reinterpreted throughout art history. For Armenian-American designer Ara Thorose, this visual interpretation involves the symbolic rearrangement of the word “body” to create BOYD Works, his brand new furniture collection. The set consists of two different styles of chairs, an ottoman and a table. With its diverse range of colours, textures, and of course, shapes, it’s certainly not your ordinary dining room set.

Ara Thorose BOYD Collection two foam chairs with high back support, one that is purple and one that is grey

Each of BOYD Works’ pieces is made from a single cylinder. Thorose strategically bends a malleable yet sturdy material, usually steel, into place to form a unique shape, then upholsters it in soft finishes, like latex and rubber. The 4M chairs, in mauve and grey, are designed to mould to the natural shape of the body; even the gaps are strategically placed to nestle the posterior for a more comfortable experience. Measuring his own thigh to be the basis of scale for each chair, Thorose aims to create an “abstraction” of himself with each piece.

Ara Thorose BOYD Works Collection one green cylindrical chair and one black cylindrical chair

Thorose describes the configuration of each chair as a “game-like” design process — he simply asks himself what is the most efficient way to go from a cylinder to a functional piece of furniture. The NUN chair, in green and black, is another great example; it consists of a looped steel frame wrapped in latex and neoprene to ensure a sturdy yet comfortable sitting experience. The chair’s low back supports the tailbone of a slouching sitter while also prompting them to practice good posture.

Green cylindrical unique stool being picked up by designer ara thorose

The chair reacts to its users in more ways than one. Its arched shape also mimics the motion of a limp object being lifted up. By creating each individual piece from one fluid curved form, Thorose channels the organic shapes and movements produced by the human body. Blurring the line between form and function, the minimal yet intricate shape of these chairs gives character to an otherwise lifeless object.

rubber cylindrical stool or ottoman
man lifting rubber cylindrical gold toned stool or ottoman

Meanwhile, UN is a furniture-type object that serves as an ottoman or stool. It’s comprised of translucent, gold-hued industrial tubing that combines steel with a rubber coating.

BOYD Works collection ULU XT1 black table with thick glass surface and black curved cylindrical legs

The star of the collection, ULU XT1, is a large black table topped with a thick-paned glass surface. Its base – what Throrose describes as “a pattern of U-turns and L-turns” – is freewheeling yet rational enough to provide a supportive armature. Its curves make contact with all the essential points of the perfectly proportioned glass surface. Covered in the same neoprene material as the black NUN chair, the base is soft to the touch.

Through BOYD Works, Ara Thorose has managed to produce a never-before-seen furniture collection. The pieces serve both form and function, without having to ever sacrifice one for the other.

Ara Thorose Anthropomorphizes Furniture with the Sinuous BOYD Collection

The Armenian-American designer creates an entire furniture collection taking inspiration from his own body.

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