M’Afrique is a furniture collection for the Italian brand Moroso, produced with the help of traditional craftsmen in Senegal. The first collection included pieces by Tord Boontje, Patricia Urquiola, Bibi Seck and Ayse Birsel, who were all asked to take inspiration from Senegalese weaving craft to come up with an idea for a new outdoor piece. Petot’s chairs are in a similar vein and use the same techniques. The chairs are made by producing a metal frame around which the craftsmen weave a seat, armrests and back. The sun and waterproof plastic is the same material used for the fishing nets that can been seen in multicolored mountains on Senegal’s beaches. Each piece is slightly different in terms of shape and pattern. It is up to the craftsmen themselves to decide what colors they want to produce the chair in, leaving the creative process open-ended.

designer: patricia urquiola
producer: moroso
materials: metal frame, waterproof plastic
period: 2009