The Thread Wrapping Machine Stool 230415
- Anton Alvarez, Swedish, Chilean, 1980-
- Born: Sweden
- Work Locations: Stockholm, Sweden
Anton Alvarez, The Thread Wrapping Machine Stool 230415, 2015. Polyester thread, fabric, PVA glue, color pigment, medium-density fiberboard, plywood, oriented strand board, wood, plastic, and metal; 17 3/4 x 18 5/8 x 7 in. Denver Art Museum: Acquired by exchange, 2015.281. © Anton Alvarez
"My machine is also drawing something by giving physical dimension to my ideas." — Anton Alvarez
Thread replaces joints and screws in the furniture that emerges from Anton Alvarez’s custom-built Thread Wrapping Machine. The tool spins at high speed, binding pieces of wood, metal, plastic, and textiles in hundreds of feet of glue- and paint-coated thread. Alvarez controls the process up to a point—with a foot pedal and by passing materials through the open wheel of the machine. The time-consuming act dictates the final shape of his brightly-colored objects.
- "Unseated: Contemporary Chairs Reimagined"—Denver Art Museum, 5/1/2016 - 11/12/2017
- “By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects” — Denver Art Museum, 10/24/2021 – 1/1/2024
- “By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects (1st Rotation)” — Denver Art Museum, 12/16/2022 – 1/31/2024
- “By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects (2nd Rotation)” — Denver Art Museum, 2/5/2024 – 2/5/2025