Low Table Sculpted by Jose Zanine Caldas. Brazilian hardwood, Brazil, 1970s.
This remarkable hand-carved table is the handiwork of the Brazilian artist José Zanine Caldas. When Zanine Caldas returned to his home state of Bahia later on in his career, he became inspired by the local craftsmen who carved boats and furniture from felled trees. As such, he began experimenting with chiseling and carving large, sculptural pieces of furniture such as the present one. For his handmade furniture, he also made the radical choice to use only found wood, just like the local craftsmen. Caldas only used wood from trees that had died or fallen naturally. The furniture that Caldas made in this way is called 'Móveis Denúncia', in other words: protest furniture. A pioneer in the field of forest preservation and ecology, he wrote extensively about his connection to the forest and attempted to either use salvaged wood or to plant a new tree for each one he used in one of his projects. His work is a testament to the power of natural wood and its beauty as a material. Caldas treated the wood with respect by embracing the inherent qualities of the wood, including the grain patterns, rough texture, wooden fissures, and natural color of the wood.
Measures 36"W x 29"D x 17"H
Low Table Sculpted by Jose Zanine Caldas. Brazilian hardwood, Brazil, 1970s.
This remarkable hand-carved table is the handiwork of the Brazilian artist José Zanine Caldas. When Zanine Caldas returned to his home state of Bahia later on in his career, he became inspired by the local craftsmen who carved boats and furniture from felled trees. As such, he began experimenting with chiseling and carving large, sculptural pieces of furniture such as the present one. For his handmade furniture, he also made the radical choice to use only found wood, just like the local craftsmen. Caldas only used wood from trees that had died or fallen naturally. The furniture that Caldas made in this way is called 'Móveis Denúncia', in other words: protest furniture. A pioneer in the field of forest preservation and ecology, he wrote extensively about his connection to the forest and attempted to either use salvaged wood or to plant a new tree for each one he used in one of his projects. His work is a testament to the power of natural wood and its beauty as a material. Caldas treated the wood with respect by embracing the inherent qualities of the wood, including the grain patterns, rough texture, wooden fissures, and natural color of the wood.
Measures 36"W x 29"D x 17"H
