Hospitality Design - Marketplace Fall 2021 - 58

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By Alia Akkam
Photos courtesy of Bernhardt Design
FINDING BALANCE
Chrissa Amuah explores her identity through textiles
An art teacher once suggested to Chrissa Amuah that she consider pursuing
textiles, but " I couldn't quite see how you could make a career out of it, so I
parked it on the side and went off and did a degree in broadcast journalism, "
recalls the London-based designer.
Years later, it dawned on her that she " was always working in creative
spaces, but I was never the creative myself, and I kind of resented that, " she
says. She investigated various outlets, but as her former teacher predicted,
it was the textiles classes Amuah enrolled in that captivated her most. A
master's degree from the Chelsea College of Art & Design soon followed.
For some eight years now, Amuah has been charging ahead, her works
catching the eye of industry folks like Jerry Helling, president and creative
director of Bernhardt Design, who asked her to craſt a collection. The result
is Duality, an exploration of Amuah's passion for color, texture, and optical
layers as much as it is an ode to her Ghanaian roots and a country she feels
tremendous pride for. " I was born and raised in the UK, but we go to Ghana
every year and I've always lived with a sense of duality-this duality of culture
and heritage, " she says.
Amuah, who also co-designed the Ghana installation at this year's London
Design Biennale with architect Alice Asafu-Adjaye, drew specifi cally from
Ghana's complex Adinkra symbols for Duality. " They've existed for centuries,
and their purpose and intention is to encourage our personal wellbeing and
social harmony, " she explains. " The world is oſt en fed a narrative about Africa
that is so restrictive and reductive, and for me this is something positive that
Africa can teach the world, this whole idea of enveloping our personal living
spaces with symbology that makes us feel bett er, whether it's on a conscious or
subconscious level. "
Duality's six patt erns-Aya, Still, Ink, Snug, Sella, and Touch-have
sprung to life from Amuah's sketches and ink drizzles, embracing materials
including chenille yarn and recycled polyester to portray such themes as
endurance and peace. " How powerful it is, " says Amuah, " to create a design
that isn't just beautiful on the surface but has meaning. " hd
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Ink's design was created by drizzling ink on pieces of
walnut veneer and letting it bleed onto the wood grain
The Sella pattern, part of Amuah's Duality collection for
Bernhardt Design, nods to Ghanaian asesegua seats
058
A bench upholstered in both Aya, inspired by the Ghanaian
Adinkra symbol for fern, and textured bouclé Snug
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