studio work Chroma Key A set of furniture pieces upholstered in blue fabric, Chroma key brings the cinematographic technique of replacing a blue background with a scene of choice into the living environment, suggesting that objects can also join the world of make believe. Minale-Maeda render a classic upholstery pattern into the tone of blue through a moiré effect of white and blue stripes. “We began with the idea that most things are judged by how they appear, but often appearance can be an illusion. By bringing a technique that is normally limited to producers of visual culture (cinematographers) onto furniture, we are playing with the boundary between being in the audience and being a participant of visual culture. By bringing the technique into people’s home, in a way we are making the illusion more real,” explain the designers. Product code: 258 01/02/03/04 Designer: Minale-Maeda Material: woven damast, multiplex Size: cabinet: 126 x 54 x 105 cm / 49.6: x 21.3” x 41.3”, chair: 51 x 45 x 77 cm / 20.1” x 17.7” x 30.3” long stool: 100 x 48 x 44 cm / 39.4” x 18.9” x 17.3’, low table: 70 x 70 x 35 cm / 27.6” x 27.6” x 13.6” edition of 3 of each design Biography: Japanese born Kuniko Maeda graduated in science of design at Musashino Art University in Tokyo. Italian born, German raised Mario Minale graduated in Industrial Design at the University of Wuppertal. After receiving their IM Master degrees at the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2005, they joined to establish MinaleMaeda in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Living in a melting pot with their intercultural backgrounds gives the duo a broad perspective on material culture. Earlier work for Droog includes the Red Blue Lego Chair, Touch Wood and Chroma Key. www.minale-maeda.com Droog Amsterdam [email protected] Droog New York [email protected]