One of the key things I learned in all my years of art education and training is respect for the line. The visual power of a line can not be overstated: with just that one basic element, you can create anything. Lines can be elegant, angry, feminine, organic, structural, chaotic, and silly. Looking at these pieces by London designer Tomás Alonso, I see an artist in love with lines.
The materials are simple, and each piece feels like a study on art’s simplest equation: line, plus shape, plus color. I’m reminded of Picasso’s drawings, and the movement and energy can he conveyed in one wavy, bold, bending line. In the case of Tomás’ furniture, it is a brightly colored steel tube, an inherently cold, rigid material that has been made to look vibrant. I love this first form, a simple blue line folding its way through wooden planks to become a chair, but then I see the next and fall in love again.
I am utterly charmed by Tomás’ creations, and they have inspired me to head out and spend some time this weekend with pencil in hand, celebrating and experimenting with the invaluable line. See you back here on Monday! Have a wonderful weekend.
{All images by Tomás Alonso}
