XB-70 V Armchair is from the series of design objects "Slipcover" by designer Mantas Lesauskas. This is a series of furniture pieces created over two years, inviting reflection on the challenges of the last years of the pandemic and the anxiety of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The objects feature a recurring motif of draped fabric that, in various forms, invites us to reflect on the current issues of the past years. In the face of war, we protect not only our lives and those of our loved ones, but also our personal and collective cultural heritage from enemies and invaders, and books remain one of the most effective means of passing on this heritage, which is why the image of a temporarily draped and preserved culture is the focus of this exhibition.

Designer Mantas Lesauskas investigates the longevity of natural raw and precious materials in his pieces. The desire to create long-lasting furniture for multiple generations requires responsible insight into their archetypes and rituals. By creating limited edition furniture and using materials and methods typical of sculpture, the designer aims to give these objects the opportunity to challenge us like sculpture. The designer is constantly inspired by artisan skills to responsibly combine these traditions with smart industrial manufacturing processes.

Mantas is a graduate of the Department of Design at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. In his earlier projects he pursued conceptual and social design theories. His Bin Toy, Millegome, Eurofurniture (2008), and It’s Also a Table (2009) expressed the importance of ecological issues and questioned the value of newly created objects. In 2011, he was awarded a Licentiate of Arts after defending an art project and thesis entitled ‘Narratives of Nostalgia in Design Objects’. He is also an associate professor at the Design Department at Vilnius Academy of Arts.

Mantas Lesauskas believes in showing contradictions and taboos, but avoids judging them.