Extended Cigar Box Cupboard by Wieki Somers and Dylan van den Berg

Wieki Somers and Dylan van den Berg
Extended Cigar Box Cupboard, 2001

Wieki Somers and Dylan van den Berg took a familiar cigar box and stretched it into furniture. Their Extended Cigar Box Cupboard keeps the little details that make the original recognisable: the hinges, the locks and even the printed bands that look like paper tape along the edges.

They made three versions. One stands upright as a wardrobe, with a mirror inside. Another lies on its back and doubles as a seat. The third keeps roughly the width and height of an ordinary cigar box but stretches to three metres in length, turning it into a wall cabinet. Look closely, and you’ll see stretch marks in the print.

The boxes are made from oiled okoume plywood, reinforced with ribs cut from the same material. MDF is used for the base or back panel, depending on how the piece is meant to sit or hang. The black markings are applied to the wood with a laser. The oversized proportions give the pieces a Pop Art sense of humour, while the care taken with the construction makes them work as everyday furniture.