An Ironic Ode to Aesthetic Excess
XXXL Chair
Client
Arco
Design
Frank Tjepkema, Janneke Hooymans
Production
One off by Tjep.
Photography
Thijs Wolzak, Tjep.
Year
2005
A Colossal Jest at Our Growing Forms
Envision a chair bloated to audacious proportions—a plush, exaggerated throne that mirrors our consumer-fed bodies while taunting design's minimalist ideals. XXXL Chair, crafted by Tjep. for Arco in 2005, revels in the irony of our oversized aesthetics, pitting lavish, indulgent form against the sleek restraint of modern design.
Arco’s Centennial Clash of Scale
Commissioned for Arco’s 100th anniversary alongside luminaries like Jurgen Bey and Joris Laarman, Frank Tjepkema sculpted this hulking seat from foam and fabric, its curves a bold caricature of humanity’s expanding silhouette. “Our bodies grow with abundance, but design craves minimalism’s clarity,” Tjepkema reflects, crafting a chair that revels in aesthetic excess while nodding to the lean elegance design demands.
Foreshadowing a Leaner Critique
Unveiled in 2005’s milestone showcase, XXXL Chair’s indulgent bulk sets the stage for Tjep.’s Recession Chair, where excess is stripped to scarcity. Its irony lies in celebrating the body’s aesthetic sprawl while hinting at design’s minimalist counterpoint, a tension that captivates and challenges.
Tjep.’s Satire on Aesthetic Abundance
XXXL Chair is Tjep.’s cheeky dialogue with form, echoing the layered wit of Bling Bling and the transformative poise of Chrysalide. It asks: as our bodies swell, can design’s minimal ethos keep us in check?
Reclining in Excess, One Curve at a Time
Grand yet provocative, it proves aesthetics can provoke thought. Explore more of Tjep.’s bold visions on Tjep.com, where excess meets elegance.