IT’S the Filipinos’ turn to take on the iconic Mah Jong.
The crown jewel of luxury Parisian furniture brand Roche Bobois meets Filipino artistry in its latest line of collaborations, fitting under a stellar list of versatile takes on a versatile piece.
Created in 1971 by multidisciplinary artist Hans Hopfer, the Mah Jong sofa is the emblem of Roche Bobois’s ingeniously customizable pieces. It can be stacked, grouped, combined or aligned to become anything from a straight sofa to a corner sofa; from an armchair to a lounge chair, or even a day bed.
Over the years, prominent fashion houses have “dressed” special editions of the Mah Jong, including high-end Italian line Missoni Home, French haute couturier Jean Paul Gaultier and Japanese fashion designer Kenzo Takada. This month the honor goes to 10 Filipinos from different art disciplines, a list that features architects Bobby Mañosa and Ed Calma, jewelry designer Bea Valdes, furniture designer Vito Selma, fashion designer Paloma Urquijo-Zobel, interior designer Chat Fores and artists Nikki Luna, Jojo Lofranco, Geraldine Javier and Costantino Zicarelli.
The idea behind going with a diverse mix of collaborators, according to Eugene Lorenzana, managing director of Roche Bobois Philippines (www.roche-bobois.com/en-PH), was to show the Mah Jong’s versatility—that anyone from any discipline can express their ideas and concepts in the piece.
“With their talent, passion and individualism, all 10 collaborators reflect the spirit of the Mah Jong. In turn, each of their Mah Jongs showcases Filipino culture and ingenuity to the world of design,” Lorenzana said.
He added that the collaborators were granted full liberty on their iterations. “There were no rules. We just gave them a white piece to do whatever they wanted to do. No rules, no guidelines.”
For his version of the Mah Jong, champions of Filipino architecture Bobby Mañosa & Mañosa Group took inspiration from the country’s rich indigenous weaving traditions. The seat and backrest of the sofa carry a brocaded design of a yakan bunga pattern from Mindanao, while the sofa is mounted on a woven laminated rattan base in warm wood tones, reminiscent of the colorful banig of Samar.
Meanwhile, Arch. Ed Calma wanted a sofa to have an architectural idea on its surface without altering its design. “The chair ended up having some kind of armor, like an armadillo,” he said. “I like the fact that it led me to invent a new way of upholstering a piece of furniture that I could use as a signature for my interior projects.”
Choosing to go a little bit personal with her take on the Mah Jong was interior designer Chat Fores. Her work reflects the influence of oriental culture that was prominent in her childhood. Also part of her design is her mom’s old obis, or sashes, from Japan—a sentimental tribute, which she calls “important in my design practice.”
Furniture designer Vito Selma also opted to stick with his signature style: complex woodwork. His idea is to give people comfort while showcasing the piece’s raw beauty. Aside from that, Selma also went with the theme of Filipino transportation culture for his Mah Jong.
The woman behind the brand known for repurposing traditional textiles, PIOPIO, fashion designer Paloma Urquijo-Zobel used her Mah Jong canvass to prove that the inabel, or the traditional fabric indigenous to the Ilocos region, can also be funky and young. She said the design is also their homage to the weavers of Ilocos and the Philippines.
Rounding out the list of Filipino collaborators were four artists that each employed radical approaches, with active feminist Nikki Luna, for one, imparting her Mah Jong with a strong statement against violence: “The chair is based on three core values: form, function and, more important, freedom. How much freedom do we have now?”
The 10, one-of-kind Mah Jong sofas will go under the hammer tomorrow, September 19, in an auction called Interactions at Whitespace in Don Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City. Part of the proceeds from each sale will go to the artists’ chosen charities, including main beneficiaries Asian Cultural Council Philippines Foundation Inc., PAWS, Tukod Foundation and AHA Learning Center.
According to Lorenzana, the Roche Bobois Philippines executive, Filipinos can look forward to more local collaborations with the brand in the coming years.
“We’re welcoming more local design talent to integrate their aesthetic within Roche Bobois,” he said. “We’re excited to promote another collaborative design project with another iconic Roche Bobois piece in the future.”