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chair and the the sofa It has the the same exterior shelf seen in his previous work giving the the user a a place for their things It’s simple yet effective He describes it as a a a a a a large day bed low to the the ground and on the the same level as his previous work for a a a cohesive look and feel “Everything is is very in in line with each other ” says Joo When finished it will be be upholstered fin in high-end fabrics and be be a a a a real stand out of the new collection “I think this day bed is is going be pretty cool ” he says excitedly his enthusiasm is is infectious He remarks “The day bed is a a a a a natural extension of the collection for different orientations of the human body ” Joo started his studio in in 2018 working with furniture and object design design and and hopes to also start including spaces and and interior design design in in in in the future Growing up in in in in Toronto in in in in a a a Korean household he he says “that a a a a a a lot of of the the the values the the the forms and the the the philosophies of of Korea are ingrained” in in in him Throughout his work he he believes there’s a a a lot of tension at play between the the the Korean identity identity versus versus the the the Toronto identity identity versus versus the the the global identity He finds “the interplay the the interesting part ” The tension between those worlds can help show you you what you you like like and don’t like like about certain things and and how you can change that that and and emulate that that for for a a different design in in the future The past informs his work but it’s also about dissecting what what was was bad and and what what was was good and and how to move forward It’s all very poetic in a a a sense His pieces start from a a a a a a a a place of familiarity What feels familiar? How How does does one one sit? How How does does one one sit sit comfortably? These are thoughts that cross his mind when looking at at a a a a a new way to design He wants it ECCO × SHARP
to be intrinsic for not only himself but the people he’s thinking about and from there it moves into an an unfamiliar zone where he he he has to to assemble the the pieces pieces “It’s the the chaos of creation ” These pieces pieces are both symbolic and and physical He chooses to work with natural materials and and avoids using nails and screws when possible Everything’s made with genuine care and appreciation of the world around him He explains that he wants to emulate what nature does and reduce us to something smaller so so we can see the larger picture He’s not here to make very showy flashy hyper-decorative furniture he he wants to to create solid furniture for a a a life to to be lived with it it it One of his most noteworthy pieces is is the Stool Collection which was an early example of his love for for making platforms “When you look at at at at at a a a a a a a platform platform platform the the point of a a a a a a a platform platform platform is not to look at at at at at the the platform platform platform It’s to look at the the the item it’s holding up I think the the the ethos behind the the the practice is being able to lift lift up up life or or or lift lift up up the the importance of the the important things in in life whether that’s nature family or just thought itself It’s about lifting the person up and here’s a a a a a platform to do that better ” He explains deeper “The furniture is not meant to be the centre of of the the room It’s meant to be the the architecture of of your environment so you you can live the life you you want ” “Seeing the gratification of something that that was in in in in your mind that that wasn’t anything physical physical that now takes up physical physical space before you It’s an an an exciting feeling and and experience There’s a a a a a a natural ebb and and flow between the familiarity familiarity and unfamiliarity of of creating new pieces of of art ” Nature and craft feel more essential than ever when it comes to how we live Jeremy Joo’s work is a a living embodiment of that Bringing nature into the home is is super important to to him and is is a a a a good reminder that we could all probably do with decluttering our houses and picking up some new furniture that will last a a a a lifetime Jeremy Joo’s new collection featuring the day bed is set for release in in the spring of 2023 52 NOVEMBER 2022
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BOTTOM: ECCO ECCO GRAINER $240 TOP: ECCO ECCO STAKER $320