Arts Thread

Yolkan is a chair that comes from Mexican culture and tradition. Mexico is a mega diverse country and currently occupies the fifth position worldwide in terms of biodiversity. The word Yolkan means: land of origin. Coming from the Nahuatl language, it alludes to the central zone of the country. It is in this area where a large number of endemic species are concentrated. For this project, an investigation was made regarding the provenance of species of timber trees, traditional wood joinery and the diversity of Mexican corn. The problems that Mexico faces regarding biodiversity are several, but for Yolkan two were used: the origin of the wood and the preservation of the national corn. At least half of the wood sold in Mexico comes from illegal logging, which is why abundant and certified wood is used to promote the preservation of forests. Pine wood has been used in a traditional way for generations and Mexico is one of the main countries with the greatest diversity of species. Similarly, the origin of corn can be said to be from Mexico. With the introduction of commercial seeds, a decrease in the production of different species of Mexican corn is being seen. Yolkan is a chair made of certified pine wood, using wooden dowels as a construction method. The textures and the gradient are generated by burning the wood. To increase awareness of the range of corn species, textures and colors in Yolkan are used. From the darkest corn to the lightest. The imperfections that the pine wood itself provides add value and symbolism regarding this rich variety. Why furniture? Furniture is a basic need, as is corn for mexicans.