This year RISD’s Furniture Design department will present Material Opulence at WantedDesign Manhattan (booth W875).

Material Opulence – WantedDesign Manhattan Booth W875 (May 19-21)

Ideals of luxury are geographically, historically and materially specific and inextricably linked to larger social and economic structures. Material Opulence offers a vibrant and inclusive reimagination of grandeur through a collection of functional chairs and domestic objects.

Incorporating an expansive range of materials—from aluminum, indigo and OSB (Oriented Strand Board) to paper and ceramics—the work in this collection rethinks hierarchical material associations and creates space for a broad understanding of value. In their ability to acknowledge and engage critically with existing histories, the designers whose work is included in this collection envision a present and a future that prioritize generativity, equity and sustainability over extraction, suppression and competition.