Approach

Ode to the legendary counterpart creature of Japanese folklore, this piece is presented as a message from the past that has been adapted to the present reality, to our lifestyles and thoughts that are always evolving like the myths that surround us.

In a concern of accuracy, I wished to focus my work on the attributes of the Tengu: the fan, the concept of the martial art and the rigor which results from it, and the work of ancestral techniques passed from generation to generation.

Formally, TenGü is a utilitarian polymorphic work. TenGü was developed to minimize the space it takes up within our interiors, and ideally sit next to a large window. When in use, it is designed to interact emotionally with the outside world like a Tengu watching from the top of the mountain. The user of TenGü becomes the legendary creature who perfects his skills while keeping an eye on his surroundings.

TenGü's sturdy frame is made of white oak, adorned with brass and gold leaf, and combines traditional cabinet making techniques of bending and assembly. It supports the fan-shaped top with a feather pattern in straw marquetry as a nod to wings, as well as the Tengu feather fan.

The transformation of this piece of furniture is done by the user who makes the fan change from vertical to horizontal thanks to a rotating mechanism. It is fixed with a screw system to seal the tray during this moment. Its design is an echo of this; like a ritual to initiate an action like martial artists preparing for training. At the end of the "training", the tray returns to its initial posture in the same way, thus ending the "practice".