Greed: A Unique Furniture Design by Ara Kim

Exploring the Concept of Excess through Table and Chair

Ara Kim's design inspiration for "Greed" came from her own personal journey. After entering college, she found herself reflecting on her childhood and the realization that excess, the basis for greed, was unnecessary in her life. This self-reflection led to the creation of a table and chair set with numerous legs, symbolizing the bumps that poke at her subconscious, bringing about past negative feelings of greed. Kim believes that just like the four legs that support a table, people should be mindful of what is essential in their lives.

What sets "Greed" apart from other furniture designs is its intention to evoke a feeling of unease and discomfort, serving as a reminder of people's greed. The extraneous number of legs on both the table and chair symbolize this greed. The section of the table connected directly to the cluster of legs expresses the descending negative void of greed. This effect was achieved using diverse fox and tail joinery techniques, executed personally by Kim without requiring much other equipment.

The table and chair set was realized using fox and tail joinery techniques and made from walnut. The technical specifications of the design are as follows: Table - 27 x 67 x 29 inches; Chair - 15 x 21 x 17 inches. The design tags associated with "Greed" include emotion, childhood, table, artwork, formative furniture, and greed.

When people use this table and chair set, it is intended to impact the user with the idea that greed is superfluous. The design was created over a period of three months in South Korea. The underlying research for this design was based on Kim's personal experiences and the realization that her own greed was causing her unhappiness. The challenge was to create a piece of furniture that would remind people that greed leads to unhappiness, and to make them feel slightly uncomfortable when using it, prompting them to consider the maker's intention.

"Greed" has been recognized for its innovative design and concept, winning the Silver A' Furniture Design Award in 2017. The Silver A' Design Award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.