Jon Gasparini, tenSion sidetable (TABLES, CHAIRS & DESKS 2024)

Photos:

Jon Gasparini

I have always been seduced by the beauty of wood but this piece is the result of a career-long interest in exploring the full potential of wood's other physical properties. I draw inspiration, as do many smitten woodworkers, from Japanese joinery techniques, Quaker sparseness and mid-century modernist line. Whilst some of the individual components of this table rely on modern joinery and epoxy adhesive, the way they are held to each other is purely due to tension, compression and friction. Somewhat like an arch, you release the key piece and the whole thing can come apart. It can be reassembled faster than you can say Ikea. The timber is Black Bean, (Castanospermum australe) from Queensland. It was milled about 50 years ago, destined for Commonwealth Bank fit-outs before the bank went to its yellow and black branding and Formica interiors.

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