Yinka Ilori’s New Book Explores the Chair as a Vessel for Memory and Identity
The 120-page publication from ORO Editions spans over a decade of chair-based works that weave together Nigerian heritage and contemporary design.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Yinka Ilori is set to release his first comprehensive book titled Chairman via ORO Editions in fall 2026
- The 120-page volume examines over a decade of distinctive chair-based projects
- The publication explores themes of memory, migration, identity, and craft through reclaimed furniture
- It includes contributions from prominent artists, writers, and designers such as Julianknxx, Jareh Das, and Martino Gamper
Yinka Ilori turns his attention to the object that first defined his artistic practice with Chairman, his inaugural comprehensive publication scheduled for release from ORO Editions in fall 2026. The 120-page volume examines more than a decade of chair-based works, viewing them through the profound lenses of memory, migration, identity, and traditional craft.
Long before his large-scale public installations and vibrant architectural commissions achieved international acclaim, Ilori built his foundation by collecting discarded chairs and transforming them using vivid colors, patterned surfaces, and narratives rooted in the storytelling traditions of his Nigerian upbringing. Chairman looks back at these formative early works, tracing how reused furniture evolved into a broader design language shaped by his British-Nigerian heritage and the multicultural landscape of London.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Featuring fresh photography, archival material, and studio documentation, the book offers a detailed look at how Ilori’s chair designs have progressed over time. The publication frames these chairs as active carriers of social and cultural histories. Essays and interviews embedded within the pages explore diasporic identity, sustainability, authorship, and modern design culture, while simultaneously revealing the artist and designer’s creative process from initial furniture sourcing to meticulous restoration and painting.
Framing functional furniture as cultural artifacts allows contemporary designers to challenge traditional narratives and give marginalized histories a tangible platform. By documenting these processes, publications like Chairman help contextualize the growing global momentum behind material reuse and the decolonization of design histories.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The publication also situates Ilori’s practice within a wider network of creative peers through contributions from poet and filmmaker Julianknxx, curator and scholar Jareh Das, and designer Martino Gamper. Gamper’s own ongoing engagement with found furniture brings an extra perspective to the cultural lifespan of chairs beyond mere utility. Ultimately, while documenting a recognizable aesthetic, Chairman reflects on how furniture design serves as a powerful medium for preserving memory and expressing cultural identity.
Source: designboom
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