Odonkor
Ebony, Trade Beads / 2011 24” × 18” × 18”The Ghanaian village we lived in was called Donkorkrom, meaning “Slave Town.” In the past, scarification was used to differentiate slave from master. While slavery has been abolished, today the Ewe people use scarification as a point of ethnic identity & pride
Learn more about Chris
- About
Professor @ Iowa State University, MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, Have been a professional designer builder since 1994. Have been teaching since 1999.
- Region
- Ames, IA
- Website
- chrismartinfurniture.com
- Media
- Wood, metal, multi media
- Professional Status
- Designer/ maker/ educator
Portfolio
End Cut Coffee Table
African mahogany, cast aluminum / 2019 12” × 44” dia.The table top is made from African mahogany scraps with the legs aluminum cast in a small foundry in Ahmedabad, India using only recycled materials.
Odonkor
Ebony, Trade Beads / 2011 24” × 18” × 18”The Ghanaian village we lived in was called Donkorkrom, meaning “Slave Town.” In the past, scarification was used to differentiate slave from master. While slavery has been abolished, today the Ewe people use scarification as a point of ethnic identity & pride
Makowa Club Chair
Steel, burned wood, kente cloth, African mahogany / 2018 27" × 31" × 26"Ghana is famous for its Kente cloth and this particular cloth is made by weavers of the Awe tribe of the Volta region. while living in Ghana, Chris spent a lot of time with the Ewe weavers fascinated by the process, patterns & symbolism.
Piecie Piecie Stools
Wood, African print fabric / 2014 18" × 22" × 14"In Ghana, piecie-piecie cloth is the result of sewing fabric scraps together to make yardage. Once, only the poor would be seen wearing piecie piecie on their backs, but now it has become quite fashionable and can be seen everywhere.
Ewe Stool
Kente cloth, painted wood, African Mahogany / 2020 17" × 16" diaFeaturing traditional Ewe kente cloth. Made by weavers of the Ewe tribe in the village of Kpetoe, (pronounced Pet twaa) in Volta Region of Ghana.
G & T Chair
Bronze, lacquer work, reclaimed teak, antique sari cloth, Khadi cloth / 2020 27" × 34" × 28"An attempt a designing a suitable perch fro when I just need an ice cold, gin & tonic.
Part of my Amalgamation series, the seat cloth & legs are handmade by artisans around Ahmedabad, India, with antique silk for the backrest.
Kalamkari Stools
Kalamkari cloth, milkpainted cherry / 2019 17" × 16" diaThis fabric is hand dyed by the Chitara family in Ahmedabad, India and they are some the last practitioners of the religious form of kalamkari called mata ni pachedi, or, behind the mother goddess. A bamboo quill is used to apply natural dyes to the cloth.
Makowa Love Seat
Kente cloth. ebonized walnut, aluminum / 2012 25” × 58” × 25”There are numerous patterns in kente weaving & each holds meaning. This kente cloth is “Mokowa” & in the Ewe language it translates as hot pepper and represents the principle; a successful marriage is full of hot peppers and one must learn to endure them.
Poma Chair
Painted wood, cherry, steel, leather, African print fabric / 2017 28" × 33" × 28"Ever since being introduced to brightly coloured and wildly patterned printed cloth of West Africa while living in Ghana, Chris has been inspired to use it in his furniture.
Prama Peewa
Bur & English Brown Oaks, Gold Leaf, trade beads, African cloth / 2011 67” × 23” × 18”A metaphor for the feelings Chris had while trying to fit in to an unfamiliar culture. Ghanaian culture is full of formalities while at the same time everyday life was informal. Things worked, but not in the same way we are accustomed.
Ajrak end table
Painted wood, steel, African mahogany, Ajrak print blocks / 2018 20” × 23” × 23”The drawer faces are printblocks are made in a carving collective in the Isanpur neighborhood of Ahmedabad, India. Their real purpose is for stamping patterns onto fabric.
Martini Chair
Bur oak, steel, leather, Afzelia burl / 2014 26" × 45" × 27"An attempt a designing a suitable perch fro when I just need a clean, cold, gin martini.
Akpeteshie
Painted wood, rebar, cast brass, African cloth / 2018 51" × 35" × 22"The boxes are inspired by the canoes seen along Lake Volta in Ghana. The pulls are crafted by artisans in Kofofrom, a craft village dedicated to producing beautiful brass objects traditionally for Ghanaian royalty.