Cardboard Chaise Lounge

A chaise lounge by Joel Stearns, made from layered corrugated cardboard and shaped into a continuous reclining form. The piece has a carved, wave-like profile, with an integrated seat, angled backrest and raised footrest formed from the same material.

1970s
Corrugated cardboard
27" H × 26" W × 64" D
(68.6 cm H × 66 cm W × 162.6 cm D)

About the Maker:
Joel Stearns is an American artist and furniture designer associated with experimental cardboard furniture. His work developed in the wake of the 1970s interest in paper-based furniture, most famously explored by Frank Gehry through his Easy Edges series. Stearns’ furniture is known for using laminated or layered corrugated cardboard to create functional forms with a sculptural, handmade quality. He cuts his pieces from several templates, then sands in the curves, giving the cardboard a shaped, carved appearance. A 1996 Los Angeles Times feature described his cardboard furniture as having “a soft, sculptural look,” noting the contrast between the humble material and the refinement of the finished forms.