Zezuru Cabinet, Inès Bressand 2017

The Zezuru series features both a new material and a new direction for Mabeo. Comprised of a chair, cabinet and occasional table, the collection designed by Inès Bressand is the final result of an ongoing collaborative process between Mabeo wood craftsmen and women, and Zezuru Metal craftsmen in Botswana.

Marrying wood with galvanized metal, each object is not only made from the two distinct materials, but from two very distinct craft techniques. Hand cut, hammered, shaped and folded, galvanized metal sheet components are inserted into or suspended on the wood components of each piece. Pairing these reflective galvanized metal components — with their visible hammer marks — with smoothly handcrafted panga panga wood forms results in beautiful, and beautifully contrasted, pieces.

The Zezuru cabinet is composed of a wooden box and a folded galvanized sheet, appearing as a light piece of textile hanging on it’s front. Pleats bring the volume alive, in pair with the changing light reflections of the metal.