Reformer

Reformer, by emerging interdisciplinary designer Bolaji Teniola, is an exhibition that displays the production potential of timber shavings. Influenced by the notion of redefining the fate of timber off-cuts, Teniola presents a triptych piece comprising three wall-mounted artworks aptly named Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the divinities of fate. Taking cues from the papier-mâché process, Teniola transforms the by-product of hand-planed timber into unique forms suspended over a frame clad with timber swarf. To construct each piece, the shavings are unfurled and shaped around rudimentary moulds layer by layer, using a homemade organic adhesive. Differing in size and shape, the highly textural appearance of each piece, comprised of varying species of timber, hopes to evoke a visceral response and reform perceptions.

Bolaji Teniola is an emerging interdisciplinary designer, blending his knowledge of furniture and industrial design to develop pieces that occupy known genres or something new entirely. In search of pragmatic solutions, Teniola finds joy in allowing the process to dictate the result. Utilising an investigative approach to traverse various mediums, a deep curiosity for materiality and the manufacturing process sits at the centre of Teniola's practice. With an Associate Degree in Furniture Design and a Bachelor of Industrial Design from RMIT University, Teniola also draws on his experience working for furniture design studios in the Netherlands and Indonesia. Teniola's works have been showcased in various group exhibitions and have garnered several awards. In addition, he is currently undertaking the Furniture Associate Program at the JamFactory in South Australia.

Image courtesy the artist.