Beatriz Zuazo, Bogolan (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

Beatriz Zuazo González

Video tour:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qq855rPFxON6Hnci5ntWE8UL6uRekJXA/view?usp=drive_link

Country

Spain

Bogolan is a display cabinet composed of a smoked chestnut pedestal topped by a rotating showcase decorated with marquetry inspired by traditional Malian textiles, from which the piece takes its name. The rotating cabinet is designed to provide visual access to the three sculptures it houses, even when the furniture is placed against a wall. The piece has been crafted using traditional woodworking techniques, including mortise and tenon joints, frame and panel construction, wooden hinges, spokeshave carving, rotating mechanisms, and spring locks, all made entirely from wood. The marquetry has been created using the historical part and counterpart technique. Designed to house three sculptures from Mali, the structure is organized around this trio, adopting a triangular base that defines its geometry and spatial arrangement. But beyond its form, the piece establishes a deep dialogue between materials, processes, and traditions. The contrast between the curly maple and the smoked chestnut evokes the aesthetic of Bogolán, a traditional Malian textile dyed with fermented mud. Just as textile artisans transform raw materials through natural oxidation processes, the smoking of the chestnut with ammonia reacts with the wood’s tannins to achieve a deep chocolate tone. This process, rooted in natural chemistry, connects two craft traditions geographically distant but united by their sensitivity to the material and its expressive possibilities. The marquetry decorating the inner panels echoes the geometric patterns of the Bogolán, where the play of contrasts is essential. Here, the earth and black tones of the textile are reinterpreted through the alternating use of different woods, integrating tradition and technique on a single surface. In its construction, the piece combines the precision of fine woodworking with the spontaneity of the textured surfaces characteristic of popular craft. This balance is a celebration of imperfection and a tribute to the beauty of the handmade in a world increasingly driven by standardization. More than a display cabinet, Bogolán is an homage to the material and the processes that shape it. It is both a space of protection and a space of connection — between cultures, between techniques, and between ways of understanding craftsmanship.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.