It must have been Murakami who said in one of his novels that a man’s choice of a sofa says a great deal about his tastes and character. We paraphrase. In any case, let us consider the sofa. Let us consider its social use and cultural meaning. Or better still let us speak to a talented designer about such things, since we are by no means the experts in furniture design.
Lebanese-Finnish furniture designer Mira Ghanem has had a transnational upbringing that has heavily enriched her artistic worldview. Her unique take on the traditional Emirati majlis is an example of her ability to bring the best of the East and West together in her work. Mira represents everything about this place, with its mix of multiculture and Emirati tradition.
How did you first come to be in the UAE?
My family has lived here since the early 70’s so we were here when only the Trade Centre existed in the desert. I left for my education and came back after getting my degree.
But you were born in Finland?
That’s right. I’ve got one foot in Europe and one foot in the Arab world. I feel this gives me the unique opportunity of getting the best of both worlds especially in a country that respects Western influence.
So why furniture?
I have always had a love for furniture design. The possibilities are endless when it comes to combining fabrics, textures, tones and style. Based on the materials used you can transform a simple design into a luxury piece and vice versa; if you take a simple, clean fabric and combine it with a creative piece, you can end up with furniture that speaks volumes and transcends boundaries. I was always sketching designs and wanted to see them come to life. I love the freedom designing furniture gives me – a way to interpret my vision.
And we understand you feel very strongly about Emirati culture, why is that?
There’s a wealth of culture and heritage here and it’s very obvious in the public spirit of the Emirati people. I believe that the UAE has a very strong sense of identity that is both beautiful and meaningful. I would like to represent this identity in the majlis designs I am creating as much as possible.
Can you tell us about these majlis designs?
I have been designing majlises for a long time now, creating cultural and heritage areas for sets and events, and of course for residential villas. It made sense to take this traditional idea of the majlis, and instead of furnishing these original meeting areas for men or women with loose furniture, to create a sofa design that adheres to the traditional look of the majlis sofa with carefully designed patterns and colours and a modern appeal. Also, I work with camel leather from Al Khaznah, which seemed like the natural thing to do. When you are given the freedom of working with such quality materials in the context of a traditional majlis seating with a modern perspective, you cannot help but be inspired.
Tell us about the piece that we see here.
This piece is a good example of taking the traditional idea that is the majlis and translating it into a design that finds balance and stays true to the dimensions and proportions of a majlis seating, with the added comfort that a more conventional sofa gives. The overall appearance resembles the basic shape of the majlis seating. The patterns reference the traditional majlis fabric stripes that were commonly found on the seating but instead using luxury fabrics and camel leather (which is all part of the heritage of the UAE) with a modern interpretation. The combinations are endless, and the overall look of the sofa indicates luxury while accommodating the owner’s taste.
What inspires you and your work?
Like most designers, I take a lot of my inspiration from the essential elements of my surroundings, in this case, those that make up the UAE. My thought process is an amalgam of images and influences I collect throughout the day, the week, the month. Comfort and functionality are important factors in my designs, but sometimes I design my pieces to just reflect a sense of drama. Like a painting evokes an emotion or reminds the viewer of experiences past. I want my designs to create a sense of nostalgia or sentiment. I like the abundance of colour that exists in the traditional Emirati woven patterns; there’s a lot of heritage connected to the use of such vibrant colours woven together. I also like the use of dramatic tones such as metallic gold and black. This is my interpretation of the sense of mystery that is the Arab world. I hope my work describes this strong sense of identity that I associate with the UAE.
For more info on Mira Ghanem’s work, or if you’d like to commission a piece get in touch with her at info@empireid.net (04 347 6158).
