The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

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Chris Hall
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The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Sun Oct 08, 2017 6:43 pm

As many of you are likely aware, I'm no fan of large slab tables. In another thread I mentioned a few of the issues I have with that form of construction. For me it goes beyond mere structural or wood movement issues, as I see it in many ways these tables and their popularity are a symptom of cultural disease.

I would place such pieces of furniture in the same grouping as Hummers, giant speedboats, McMansions, monster trucks, gratuitous plastic surgery, tractor pulls, turducken, and so forth. Sure, there may be some who like the sublime beauty of "a special and unique piece of wood", and a slab presentation can bring that out well, but fine aesthetic sensibilities actually seem to me quite far removed from consideration for the most part. It mighta started out as a few folks inspired by Nakashima's books, but it has morphed into an industry mowing shit down.

While some of you may feel I am just grinding an axe all over again - and you may as well stop reading here if that is your take on it - occasionally I come across examples which are so clearly demonstrative of what a typical North American slab table represents to me, so perfect in distilling the zeitgeist down to its pure essence, that I feel compelled to share this info, even if I am just banging that same 'ole drum. Don't worry about it, it's just crazy 'ole Chris banging on his tin cup again. Hopefully some of you might not mind that so much, who knows?

Case in point is this video I came across today - and I wasn't looking for videos on slab tables I can assure you of that, just sometimes things come across your bow, you know? - a video which left me sorta speechless, and yet certain I had seen the god of slab tables in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brskStZh1Ko

Now, sure, there are furniture makers out there who do better work and who are more artistically inclined, sensitive to their material, careful in their execution, thoughtful about getting just the right shape to their de rigueur butterfly keys, etc., but there is no denying the fact that the video has close to 2 million views in the year since it was released, and the vlogger who presents it has nearly half a million subscribers, most of whom seem to enthusiastically appreciate what he does, judging by the positive comments. That tells you that he would seem to have his finger on the pulse of popular culture. To each their own, of course -tractor pulls and monster truck shows remain hugely popular - and I'll leave off critiquing the table he makes, but I am just staggered sometimes to see the culture I live in in a clearer light.

To reference Conrad's Kurtz's last words in Heart of Darkness via FF Coppola and Marlon Brando,
"the horror, the horror"
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKcAYMb5uk4)
Jack Straus
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Re: The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:43 pm

Chris, brace yourself: http://www.godarfurniture.com/fake
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Chris Hall
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Re: The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:42 am

Jack Straus wrote:
Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:43 pm
Chris, brace yourself: http://www.godarfurniture.com/fake
Oh my god - I love it! That made my morning. Thank you!
1-SLAB+ABOVE.jpg
1-SLAB+ABOVE.jpg (392.99 KiB) Viewed 6785 times
Seriously, he's really onto something there. "If you took away all the romantic elements, what would you have left?" - indeed.
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Chris Hall
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Re: The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:00 am

Now i'm wondering how many regular folks would see that and get the humor or the reference at all? An awful lot of people do not distinguish well between plywood and solid wood as it is. Maybe this is something only an art critic or furniture maker would find entertaining?
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Brian
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Re: The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:34 pm

This is definitely not unique to slab tables. It's unfortunately pervasive into everything that is good on some level before it is watered down into something less.

The interesting character created by a well used object over the course of a lifetime or generations vs 'shabby chic'...beating a nice piece of work with a chain... as a for instance.

It's truly for the consumer to decide and quality furniture is going to be consumed by few if for nothing else than the fact that it is quite rare.
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Chris Pyle
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Re: The Slab Table Zeitgeist is Revealed

Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:02 am

Daruma wrote:
Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:24 pm


I would call any board cut like #7 a "slab"



2017101008430000.jpg
In the above pic, is 2 & 3 considered QS? While 5 is rift? 4 is plainsawn and 7 is thru and thru, aka - boule? (not to derail the subject at hand)

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