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#Inspiration

TANNIC ACID BY STEVEN BANKEN

A surprising and lovely exploration of old knowledge in new contexts

Fun fact: oak contains high concentrations of tannic acid. When tannic acid comes into contact with iron oxide, it turns the oak a dark, dark blue. The same thing happens when tannic acid is applied to steel, transforming two radically different materials into a product with almost the same color. Dutch artist and designer Steven Banken used this unique chemical reaction as a basis for his Tannic Acid series, a research project which he presented at Dutch Design Week 2013.

For Tannic Acid, Banken created a stool whose legs are half steel, half oak to demonstrate the exceptional similarity post-chemical reaction. He also created a series of treated steel plates that are encircled with a treated strip of oak as well as a coffee table made from the same materials. The presentation was completed with a video and material samples.

Tannic Acid | project by Steven Banken

Details

  • Netherlands
  • STEVEN BANKEN