Tengü Desk by Jonathan Jouan

TENGÜ DESK
JONATHAN JOUAN’S “TEGU” IS A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF FUNCTIONAL ART, A WALL-MOUNTED DESK THAT TRANSCENDS ITS UTILITARIAN PURPOSE TO EVOKE THE SPIRIT OF JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY. DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM THE TENGU, A POWERFUL AND PROTECTIVE CREATURE IN SHINTO LORE, THE DESK EMBODIES BOTH THE STRENGTH AND ELEGANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MYTHIC BEING.

THE TENGU, KNOWN FOR SAFEGUARDING ITS DOMAIN FROM THE HEIGHTS OF ITS MOUNTAIN, FINDS A PARALLEL IN THE ROBUST DESIGN OF THE DESK’S BODY. THIS SOLID STRUCTURE NOT ONLY SERVES AS A PRACTICAL WORKSPACE BUT ALSO SYMBOLIZES THE ENDURING STRENGTH OF THE TENGU, ANCHORING THE PIECE FIRMLY WITHIN ITS ENVIRONMENT. YET, IT IS THE WING OF THE TENGU—AN EMBLEM OF GRACE AND AGILITY—THAT INFORMS THE DESIGN’S MOST CAPTIVATING FEATURE. THE DESK’S TOP, ADORNED WITH DELICATE FEATHER MOTIFS, INTRODUCES A SENSE OF LIGHTNESS AND FLUIDITY, CREATING A DYNAMIC CONTRAST WITH THE SOLIDITY BELOW. THESE INTRICATE PATTERNS ELEVATE THE DESK BEYOND MERE FUNCTIONALITY, TRANSFORMING IT INTO A SCULPTURAL ARTWORK THAT INVITES BOTH ADMIRATION AND INTERACTION.

MATERIALS

RYE STRAW, SOLID BRASS, UPCYCLED WOOD, WHITE OAK.

DIMENSIONS
L 10CM X W 68CM X H 175CM