Gene Cooper for Modernica Chairs Delight in Custom Color

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Resin is a tricky material to work with – a finicky, science-based concoction – and yet many creatives are drawn to its depth of color and luminosity, which simply can’t be beat. Leveraging this, the legendary surfboard maker and resin artist Gene Cooper worked with Modernica to create the Modernica x Gene Cooper collaboration, a limited-edition run of 17 side shell chairs, each hand-signed and numbered from 061 to 077.

The familiar form, outfitted with classic, metallic mid-century legs, provides a simple but elegant silhouette to display the star of the show – brilliant striated pigment. One-of-a-kind seats are lovingly layered with a miasma of color marrying utility with expression while bridging the gap between function, production, and art.

Two modern chairs with molded seats and wooden legs; the front chair is yellow-orange and the chair in the background is dark green.

An incredible luminosity is only part of what makes this collection special. Subsequent elements of texture from the resin casting process add depth to saturation in a way that is quite exquisite. And a minute transparency boosts this effect, allowing light to illuminate and refract within the shell.

Four modern chairs with molded seats in different marbled colors and metal or wooden legs are arranged on a plain, light background.

“Shaping surfboards and doing the resin work has always been a labor of love for me. The crew I’ve been working with at Modernica share the same love for their artistry and I have great respect for them and their level of craftsmanship,” shares Cooper.

Two modern chairs with colorful, wood-grain patterned seats; one has wooden legs, and the other has a metal wire base, both on a light background.

The manufacturing is fascinating to watch as layers of custom-mixed colored resin come together to form kaleidoscopic palettes and organic textures unique to the medium. With clear inspiration from the free-spirited, ’60s surfer culture, these hues inherently contain modern shades design audiences also know and love. Side Shell Chairs new and old emanate a certain vintage aura akin to retro appliances and funky fabrics of the era.

A modern chair with a glossy, green and brown marbled seat and wooden legs, positioned on a light background with its shadow visible.

A person wearing gloves and a cap spreads paint across a large canvas with a yellow tool in an industrial studio setting.

A worker wearing protective gear pours resin onto colorful fiberglass sheets inside an industrial press at a manufacturing facility.

“The process of making each chair, working with this crew, for me, is pure fun,” Cooper adds. “Exploring the color palette and the endless possible combinations make each chair unique, which is very rewarding.”

A person in protective clothing holds up an amber-colored translucent chair with wooden legs, examining it under industrial lighting in a workshop.

A man in paint-splattered clothes stands next to a table displaying colorful, striped chair seats in an industrial workshop.

A man in paint-splattered clothes and a white hard hat stands in a workshop, holding a large, green and yellow sculpted object. Several similar objects are on tables behind him.

Gene Cooper

To learn more about Gene Cooper for Modernica, visit modernica.net.

Photography courtesy of Modernica.

Growing up in NYC has given Aria a unique perspective into art + design, constantly striving for new projects to get immersed in. An avid baker, crocheter, and pasta maker, handwork and personal touch is central to what she loves about the built environment. Outside of the city, she enjoys hiking, biking, and learning about space.





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