
"Janne" Cow-bench
<p>Referred to as a memento mori (reminder of death) for cows, the Cow Bench is a reminder of the animal origin of leather furniture. Frames made of wood and foam mimic the ribs and spine of a cow’s torso. They are covered with a hide from a single cow, positioned exactly as it was on the animal. The benches do not feature heads or legs because these are the first parts removed in the slaughterhouse. As opposed to the unmarred leather used for most furniture, Lohmann’s benches bear the unique marks—such as scars and wrinkles—of the cow used to produce them. Creating an even deeper connection with the viewer, each bench has its own name—this one is called Janne.</p>
Catalogue
- Year
- 2012
- Medium
- Leather, foam and wood
- Dimensions
- 64.8 × 85.1 × 163.9 cm (25 1/2 × 33 1/2 × 64 1/2 in.)
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Artist
- Julia Lohmann
Artist

Julia Lohmann is a German artist and designer working primarily with unconventional materials including seaweed, bioplastics, and food-based substances to create sculptural and functional objects. Her practice examines the relationship between material culture, sustainability, and the edible or biodegradable potential of everyday matter. Working across installation, furniture, and research-based projects, she investigates how discarded or undervalued organic materials can be reconstituted into forms that challenge conventional hierarchies of craft and design.
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More by Julia Lohmann
Record
Verified by WattsOS- Artist
- Julia Lohmann
- Year
- 2012
- Medium
- Leather, foam and wood
- Dimensions
- 64.8 × 85.1 × 163.9 cm (25 1/2 × 33 1/2 × 64 1/2 in.)
- Watts ID
- WW-2012-132528
Source
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Source
- aic
- Reference
- View at source
- Status
- verified

