How Do You Make Cardboard Furniture?

It seems as if an armchair made out of cardboard would not be sturdy and would look unattractive, however, the furniture pictured here looks fairly substantial and quite elegant. Eric Guiomar, a cardboard furniture maker, discovered his vocation by accident. In 1993, while working as a photographer in Paris, he needed an armchair for a photo shoot, but could not afford to buy one. So he made one instead, out of cardboard boxes he found on the street. Soon after, he quit his job as a photographer. Mr. Guiomar, 41, who calls himself a cartonniste, now sells custom designs and gives classes at his Paris-based studio, Bleuzen. Find out how cardboard furniture is made on May 18, 2007 at the Staten Island Museum where the Staten Island Film Production company Vine Street Works will present Cardboard Furniture, a film from their series How Things Are Made. Producer Elizabeth Way, Director Gregor Scheer and three featured Cartonnist Artisans from France will be on hand for a Q&A. There will also be live jazz with Bob Kaiser and Friends (who created the film score). Admission to view the film is free with the regular museum admission price. (Adults: $2; Children, Students, Seniors: $1; Children under 12: free). For the complete program, trailers and more information please click on the headline above.

The Staten Island Museum
75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, New York 10301, 718-727-1135
7:30pm - 10:00pm

The film will also be screened at the Everything Goes Book Café on Saturday May 19th at 9pm. Eric Guiomar and two of his students, Valerie Pagesi and Isabelle Boissar, will be present for a Q&A.