Leda +
An exhibition by David Mac Laren
In the Foyer Gallery Until January 20, 2010
Variations on a theme in Chair Design
Leda IIJesterStrutOwner and artistic director of Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, David Mac Laren is also a world-renowned woodworker and furniture maker. David says, “I continue to explore structure to derive design for furniture that is, increasingly sculptural in appearance, being less constrained by functional and ergonomic considerations of domestic furniture, allowing the structure to dictate uninhibited forms, sometimes brutal, sometimes graceful, still reminiscent of furniture derivatives.”

The Leda chair began as a rough sketch in side view. Referring back to that sketch David played around with front views, but no matter how hard he tried to make it a functional chair, it lost its charm. Together with his graphic designer son Phil, they worked it through computer imaging, furthering the creation. And the design evolved and moved towards a clearer resolution and specification, resulting in its current elongated form. “I thought of the Windsor chair construction, and I felt Leda derived in some measure from classical chair making.”

David took Leda to Sweden for an international workshop and exhibition on public seating. “While in Sweden I became interested in the structure of chairs, particularly chairs where the seat is a structural member. I wondered if the seat could be reduced to a cylinder with all the elements emanating from that cylinder.”

With the original Leda in Sweden, (now currently in transit back to Bungendore), he decided to make Leda II to accompany the next two chairs in the series titled Jester and Strut.

All three chairs are now on exhibition in the Gallery’s Foyer Artspace.