American Artist Chris Fallon and a Human-Shaped Pillow April 5 - 2022Words by Mairi BeautymanGarish colors and odd human figures with blood-red lips dominate the work of Chris Fallon. Born in New Jersey, and now residing in Los Angeles, the American artist moved to southeastern Mexico with his family at the age of nine, where formative years in the country helped shape his acrylic on wood panel paintings.Garish colors and odd human figures with blood-red lips dominate the work of Chris Fallon. Born in New Jersey, and now residing in Los Angeles, the American artist moved to southeastern Mexico with his family at the age of nine, where formative years in the country helped shape his acrylic on wood panel paintings. A self-taught painter, Fallon studied politics before embracing his calling. Today his work, influenced by Mexican Folk Art, American popular culture, and old Hollywood, is part of the collections of the Los Angeles Contemporary Archive and The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Here he shares what drove his customization of the 4PM Self Build chaise, with its show-stopping human-shaped pillow. Why a human figure? Vanity is a big theme in my work. I frequently have figures looking into mirrors and seeing their own reflection, as commentary on our culture. Something else I incorporate are black oozy parts, or dripping black things that are really shiny. To me, the physical form for vanity and insecurity is black ooze, so that’s why I made this kind of mummified humanbag-cushion. I wanted to see if I could harness that vanity that we all have and turn it into a physical thing, and that’s this figure wrapped up in black ooze. "it’s a vinyl bag that I sewed myself with a sewing machine and filled with pillow batting. I got the vinyl – classic black like a car seat or office chair – at a fabric store. And every chair should have a cushion!" "My chaise feels like it could be a 3D-version of one of my paintings. I painted the entire chaise with acrylic paint. " What impression do you hope to give with your 4PM Self Build chaise?It’s very democratic that anybody can take this piece of furniture and make it themselves, in any kind of wood they want. It’s such a blank slate in many ways. I felt the freedom to make it ridiculous and over the top – I get such a kick out of that. And I really like to have fun in my art. You can use the instructions as the launchpad and make it as simple as you want, you can leave it as wood, very beautiful and minimal. But you can also just go crazy and do whatever the hell you want. Chris Fallon on instagram " I use red a lot because it’s such a strong color and we have so many associations with it. Lust, blood...it’s just a powerful color that everybody has a connection with." How did you choose the very bold and vibrant colors for the wood panels? I spent five years of my childhood growing up in Mexico and my family still lives there. We’re not Mexican, but my family just fell in love with the country and stayed. The colors are influenced by all the Mexican art that I was surrounded with growing up. So I knew I wanted to paint it with bright colors, because that’s just what all my paintings have – really garish bright colors. My chaise feels like it could be a 3D-version of one of my paintings. I painted the entire chaise with acrylic paint. The footrest and headrest are metallic, iridescent, shiny-gold. Really so much of the art in Mexico is religious art. When I was young, we would go to churches all the time, but not as Christians. We would go to look at the art, and of course all these saint paintings and statues have shiny gold halos around their heads. The base of the chaise is red. I use red a lot because it’s such a strong color and we have so many associations with it. Lust, blood...it’s just a powerful color that everybody has a connection with. Pink – on the two center panels – is a color always associated with femininity that I use to subvert. Most of my figures are ambiguous. I don’t think of them as having any specific gender. They’re just humans. "You can use the instructions as the launchpad and make it as simple as you want, you can leave it as wood, very beautiful and minimal. But you can also just go crazy and do whatever the hell you want." The face of your cushion is very distinctive.The figure is essentially a saint, which comes from my fascinationwith religious iconography and how these figures are represented in this exalted way. In Mexico, we lived in M rida, the capital of the state of Yucatán, but I also spent a lot of time in the state of Chiapas, where my grandparents lived. There you can see that some villages have their own specific version of Catholicism – the depictions of saints are playful, but they’re also very dark, with a lot of bloody Jesus statues or Jesus carrying the cross, literally just dripping in blood. Seeing those things when I was a child really left an impression on me. I just loved it – this really morbid, but beautiful art. In my work, I depict these characters that are sort of beautiful on one level, but if you look a little closer, they have crooked teeth, they have tiny little eyes and, actually, they’re not beautiful. They’re kind of a little odd and creepy. The red lips echo the fact that nearly all of my figures have these very shiny red lips. That’s one of my trademarks. The red lips and the oozing are an embodiment of insecurities and vanity, but also dripping blood, like I would see in those churches. The particular blue-green comes from a series that I did a couple years ago called Swamp Series, where I put swamp creatures in a swampy atmosphere with strange looking plants in front of them. I do like a darker green, like Swamp Thing–green.You mean like the plant-based superhero in the movie and comic book series?Exactly. Photographed by JJ Geiger

THE CROWN JEWELS BY DIEGO FAIVRE Massproductions today presents its second interpretation in the series The Crown Jewels, where the company has asked four creators to renew worn Crown Armchairs. This time, the French artist and designer Diego Faivre has created two colourful and playful interpretations in his characteristic clay.Massproductions today presents its second interpretation in the series The Crown Jewels, where the company has asked four creators to renew worn Crown Armchairs. This time, the French artist and designer Diego Faivre has created two colourful and playful interpretations in his characteristic clay.March 15 - 2022Words by Sanna Fehrman How did you start your career as a designer? I had a growing interest in art, but fell in love with the limitations and the possibilities that design has. After attempting to produce furniture as fast as possible for a few years, the Minute Manufacture series took shape when I discovered play dough during a residency in China. It allowed me to create objects and furniture on a very instinctive process, while carefully composing and playing with colour and patterns. Describe your way of working? It is quite chaotic and hectic! I like to sometimes produce a lot of objects when inspirations kicks in, but often leaving some of the objects untouched for an extended period of time. The slow and contemplative objects tend to accumulate, but besides being quite instinctive, time is incredibily helpful to produce a lot, but also to properly develop and process what the furniture deserves. How would you describe your signature style? Very instinctive forms, combined with colour compositions and a dough-ey aspect, but if it had to be one word only, it would be playful! "They are made of ’Diego dough’ the main material that I use in my work with playful and experimental patterns." Descibe your studio, how does it look – where is it found? My studio is based in Eindhoven in an old industrial area on the outskirts of the city, and I share a space with nine other designers from different countries. We share machines, advice and help. We all have a personal workspace, and mine looks like that of a messy hoarder. I tend to accumulate many materials and various scraps, because that’s my favourite source of inspiration to produce from existing items! But it is very colourful and can appear as a playground where I have fun everyday! What inspired you? There is definitely a beach and jungle vibe going on, as I was coming back from a holiday, so it felt natural to bring my mood into them! During the holiday, I got lost in nature for some time. This freedom is represented in one of the chairswith the uneven patterns covered in layers of colour like a floor covered with fallen leafs. The other one is more structured. The lines have a Doppler effect enhancing the shape and mass of the Crown. What material are you working with? I work with a special type of play dough that I discovered in China 5 years ago, when I did an art residency next to Shanghai. It has inspired me ever since. It offers many possibilities to play around with shapes, space, and patterns. As a finishing touch, I use a lacquer to protect the material, and add a shiny finish that resembles an almost ceramic look! "When I was studying and didn’t had much money to spend on materials, I was always rummaging through the school trashcans to find materials and to later use them. Within the existing forms that I found I managed to creatively assemble them into something new and unique, and it was always with fun and pleasure that I could give them a new life. In the end, that’s what influenced me, this almost ready-made approach. It changes with the locations that I’m in, and always gives me some surprising challenges." Describe your way of working? It is quite chaotic and hectic! I like to sometimes produce a lot of objects when inspirations kicks in, but often leaving some of the objects untouched for an extended period of time. The slow and contemplative objects tend to accumulate, but besides being quite instinctive, time is incredibily helpful to produce a lot, but also to properly develop and process what the furniture deserves. What was your initial thought when Massproductions approached you? I was incredibly surprised and intrigued, and transforming furniture is always exciting especially for a brand that shares similar values to mine. How did you go about this project? What has the process been like? The process was slow. I wanted to understand the chairs, and to make the right decisions. I used them for some time in my studio, and really appreciated the comfort they were bringing. Until one day, I started covering them and everything developed smoothly from there. As time went by, I loved them even more! If someone else wants to give new life to an old piece of furniture, what would your advice be? How would one go about it - find inspiration ? It is important to take some risks and to be very ambitious. That could also be to completely change the form, or to turn the piece into something completely different. Whats next? Right now, alongside working on many furniture pieces, I’m finishing up a pop-up store where I will sell objects found atvarious auctions for a set price of €9.99. The last 4 months, I have spent covering the surface of random items, ranging from plastic swords to wooden handles, and currently I am focusing on finishing the interior of the shop in Amsterdam.Diego Faivre on instagram

Tio Chair x Zeekr: Design and Innovation on Display at Stockholm Design Week 2025 Massproductions and Zeekr are teaming up to present a highlight from the exhibition Sculptures from the Factory in central Stockholm during Stockholm Design Week 2025, running from February 3rd to March 16th.Massproductions and Zeekr are teaming up to present a highlight from the exhibition Sculptures from the Factory in central Stockholm during Stockholm Design Week 2025, running from February 3rd to March 16th. Massproductions was founded with the “Tio Chair” in 2009. “Tio” is Swedish for “ten” and the name refers to the fact that the chair is made of 10 mm gauge steel wire that measures over 10 meters (14.378 to be precise). The steel wire is shaped by a computer-controlled bending machine and then undergoes various surface treatments, and welded together. The finished chair is made with zero waste.Discover Tio Originally shown at Sven-Harrys Konstmuseum in 2023, The Forbidden Chair is a sculptural installation that sheds light on the production process behind Massproductions’ iconic Tio Chair, designed by Chris Martin in 2009. The exhibition both informs and entertains and can be seen from February 3rd to March 16th in the Zeekr showroom, Gallerian, Hamngatan. Zeekr is a luxury EV brand formed in 2021. The company is committed to driving the future of transportation with cutting-edge technology and a customer-centric approach. The collaboration brings together a shared focus on design, innovation, and the process behind creating something lasting. Visit the exhibition at Zeekr Center Stockholm, Hamngatan 37, from February 3rd to March 16th.

First ten years February 10 - 2019 Written by Sanna Fehrman The year 2009 marked the Stockholm-based design company Massproductions’ 10th year of operations. Since opening in 2009, the company has achieved great international acclaim in the form of prestigious commissions and design accolades. In conjunction with its 10th anniversary the company launched a new edition of the Tio Chair – a contemporary design classic that started Massproductions’ journey. The year 2009 marked the Stockholm-based design company Massproductions’ 10th year of operations. Since opening in 2009, the company has achieved great international acclaim in the form of prestigious commissions and design accolades. In conjunction with its 10th anniversary the company launched a new edition of the Tio Chair – a contemporary design classic that started Massproductions’ journey. In 2008, freelance designers Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck were contacted by a German furniture manufacturer with a brief to create a chair in metal for indoor and outdoor use. However, when they pitched the concept for the chair, the Germans said it would be impossible to produce. But the designers couldn’t let go of the design idea and wanted to show the client that it could be done. So, Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck decided to make the chair themselves. During the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2009, they launched both Massproductions as a brand and their first chair: Tio Chair. Massproductions’ work quickly gained recognition in the industry and in their first year of operation the company won the Swedish Association of Architects’ Golden Chair design award for the Tio Chair. Today, the chair is represented in the permanent collection of Nationalmuseum, The Swedish National Museum of Arts, in Stockholm. Over the years, Tio has been developed into a collection comprising several types of chairs and tables. . In 2008, freelance designers Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck were contacted by a German furniture manufacturer with a brief to create a chair in metal for indoor and outdoor use. However, when they pitched the concept for the chair, the Germans said it would be impossible to produce. But the designers couldn’t let go of the design idea and wanted to show the client that it could be done. So, Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck decided to make the chair themselves. During the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2009, they launched both Massproductions as a brand and their first chair: Tio Chair. Massproductions’ work quickly gained recognition in the industry and in their first year of operation the company won the Swedish Association of Architects’ Golden Chair design award for the Tio Chair. Today, the chair is represented in the permanent collection of Nationalmuseum, The Swedish National Museum of Arts, in Stockholm. Over the years, Tio has been developed into a collection comprising several types of chairs and tables. . The clean, transparent design of the Tio series of furniture allows the pieces to blend in well with a large variety of architectural styles. Designer Chris Martin’s starting point for the design of Tio was to use as little material as possible, creating a deceptively strong and comfortable piece of furniture. The chairs and tables in the series are crafted using a few bent steel rods in a simple construction, which tricks the eye and immediately captures the viewer’s interest. “Tio quickly became a big hit that appealed to many. It was something new. No one had seen anything quite like it before, in terms of design language and material,” says Chris Martin, co-founder and head designer, Massproductions. “So, Tio has been a very important product for us through the years, garnering a lot of attention at the start of our journey.”   “Tio is an example of what makes us unique, and it’s the balance between the producer and the designer that’s at the core of Massproductions. Covering the entire production chain under one roof allows us to take a more long-term perspective when it comes to the product, than a consultant who designs a wide variety of products for different manufacturers." - Magnus Elebäck, CEO & Co Founder “Had we known then what we known now about starting and running a furniture company, we might have given it a second thought. At the same time, there are no regrets. Since we are self-financed and value our independence, the journey has been tough, challenging, difficult, financially demanding and stressful, but we’ve always had a lot of fun. The most important thing has been to maintain the basic idea – that in each product our aim is to add long-lasting cultural value to the furniture industry.” - Magnus Elebäck, CEO & Co-founder In conjunction with the celebration of its 10-year anniversary, Massproductions is paying tribute to its classic collection with a jubilee edition of the award-winning Tio Chair. The new version is being launched in a “Hot Dip” galvanised metallic finish – with a natural patina that becomes a matte, grey hue over time. Ideal for outdoor environments, this type of finish is often used for outdoor furniture and lampposts. Other products in the Tio collection will also be available in this finish. In the ten years since its inception, Massproductions has won numerous awards for its designs and innovative production processes. Collaborating with many progressive architects around the world, the company has produced products for numerous prestigious international projects, most recently for the Brooklyn studio of the renowned artist Urs Fischer.