Zebra Armchair
by Danik Uderbekov · Astana, Kazakhstan

Daniyar Uderbekov is a Kazakhstani designer whose work has become a bridge between ancient traditions and modern technologies. Born in Kazakhstan, a country with a rich cultural heritage and ancient craft traditions, Daniyar has been surrounded by natural materials and handmade work since childhood. He is inspired by the idea that if the Neolithic era had not disappeared over the centuries, but had continued to evolve, it could have been expressed in modern objects combining primitive aesthetics with advanced technology.My name is Daniyar Uderbekov, I am a designer from Kazakhstan. Born in the beautiful city of Almaty, he is a graphic artist by education. I am 44 years old. He started his professional career with graphic design in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Then my future wife and I were invited to an exhibition company as designers of exhibition stands and pavilions, where we completed an internship in Germany, where we discovered World Design for the first time. They participated in the development of the concept and design of stands and pavilions of Kazakhstan at World exhibitions such as "Aichi 2005" in Japan, "Zaragoza 2008" in Spain, "Shanghai 2010" in China, "Yeosu 2012" in South Korea.In 2012, we opened our own Event Agency. At the same time, in my free time, as a hobby, I started making furniture and decor for myself, friends and relatives as a gift. My wife graduated as an interior designer and today it is here that she is successfully implemented. In 2020, during the pandemic, my wife suggested that I think about turning my hobby into my main activity. Being self-taught, I lacked professional knowledge, so we decided that I needed to get a special education. In 2021, I enrolled in a subject design course at the Details School of Design. There I plunged into a community of like-minded people and became convinced that I was on the right track! In search of my unique DNA, thanks to my Teachers and Mentors, I found my main Value - I turned to my roots! At school, I learned that subject designers need to express themselves, participate in exhibitions and competitions, and it is the competitive environment that gives growth and development. Otherwise, no matter how unique and talented an artist is, it may remain "on the table" without recognition. So, in 2022, I created a collection of felt - a series of objects: an armchair, an ottoman and a shelving. Felt is a traditional material of my native nomadic people, which was used in the manufacture of Yurts, interior decorations and clothing. After all, this wonderful “sustainability” material is natural, eco-friendly, tactilely pleasant, biodegradable, and ethical towards animals. It is resistant to rain, snow and heat. For my chair, I used one single piece of felt, which is stretched over a frame assembled from cuttings from garden tools and connecting elements printed on a 3D printer. For printing, I used recycled plastic from used PET bottles. It takes about one hundred plastic 1L bottles or 20 5L bottles to create one chair.Unexpectedly for me, the collection immediately brought Victory and recognition at various competitions and exhibitions! I am sincerely grateful to everyone who believed and accepted my work!