Design: Ousmane M’Baye’s Colour block Furniture Designs

Ousmane M’Baye [Senegal]

[Image credits: Armchair 2011 – Ousmane M’Baye]

I was recently introduced to the colourful and innovative creations from Senegalese furniture and home accessories designer, Ousmane M’Baye, whose colourful abstract chair instantly reminded me of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian’s famous colour block, linear paintings; paintings that have inspired countless designers throughout the decades. Mondrian was one of the revolutionary founders of the Modern Art movement and as an art student I was captivated by his work; something to do with the minimalist simplicity of it all I guess.

Based in Dakar, Ousmane finds the beauty in reusable discarded materials reinventing them into functional distinctive works of art, much in the same vein as Hamed Ouattara whom I profiled a few months back; this seems to be a growing movement bringing a new exciting perspective to furniture design. Made from fuel barrels, duct pipes and galvanised iron; many of which come from foreign imports and are often associated with pollution and end up blighting the landscape, Ousmane’s work is in a way a celebration of African resourcefulness and ingenuity in the way that discarded materials are collected and turned into new products with a purpose be it toys, furniture or even transportation; a practice seen up and down the continent. 

[Image credits: top, Stand at Pan African Cultural Festival, Algiers 2009; 
bottom, Drawer – Ousmane M’Baye]

Edgy and very cool, forms are accentuated with bright pops of colour and bring an instant dose of character to the interior. In the seating the hard iron forms are softened by what looks like fairly comfortable upholstery, making them ideal for both residential and commercial office interior spaces. 

[Image credit: Yellow Seating – Ousmane M’Baye]

…bold and distinctive furniture designs

Additional Details:
For further information about Ousmane M’Baye visit: www.coroflot.com/ousmane; and www.creativeafricanetwork.com
Select pieces are available from: www.hybrid-decor.com