Máximo Riera’s Animal Chairs

Style – 5 March 2013

Many breathtaking interiors incorporate a feature piece, but if you really want to make an impact, consider one of Máximo Riera’s Animal Chairs.

The Animal Chair collection captures some of nature’s most intriguing creatures, bringing them into our homes in a way never before experienced.

Máximo Riera is an accomplished artist who was born in Asturias, Northern Spain. For over three decades his love of photography, painting and sculpture took a back seat to his professional career in the medical industry. Once retired, Máximo was free to explore his passion; and now enjoys the freedom to paint and sculpt every day.

The technology behind this collection is avant-garde, to say the least. Máximo’s initial sketches are brought to life with the aid of computer modeling software, transforming the sketches into a three-dimensional digital image. The sculptures are then produced using CNC (computer numerical control). This involves the 3D image being fed into a computer mechanised sculpting machine, that reproduces the image to cut a precise replica of the original design from compressed foam blocks. Brands such as Nike and Chanel also use this method to create bespoke items.

Over 30 professionals from five different companies are involved in the process. Each chair, manufactured to order, takes approximately nine weeks to complete. With an average of 170 hours of machine work involved, plus an additional 160 hours to assemble, sand and paint each chair by hand, the Animal Chair collection is certainly a labour of love.

Every design is a strictly limited edition, with only 20 of each chair ever made. Each comes complete with a certificate of authenticity and is signed by the artist. To date, the collection includes The Octopus, The Walrus, The Rhino, The Whale, The Elephant and The Toad.

The price for such a unique work of art is not for the feint-hearted. At the lower end of the spectrum, The Octopus chair will set you back $51,450; while The Whale chair commands a price of $95,520.

When asked why he turned his attention to the chair, Máximo Riera said, “The main reason I chose to create a chair is because it is an everyday object, something taken as common and banal in our lives. Whilst considering the chair’s basic functionality, I also wanted to bring it alive, make it more present and create a stronger link between the spectator, the piece and the surrounding space.”

If you are smitten by these chairs you can enquire about purchasing at the website – www.maximoriera.com.