# Chromatic Stationery Furniture 'Table of Pencils' Questions Whether Art Serves a Purpose By Meghan Young | Published 2012-01-21 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/table-of-pencils References: [mymodernmet](http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/artistic-colored-pencil-table) & [tomiimotohiro](http://tomiimotohiro.com/) Table of Pencils walks a fine line between [art and furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bookmarker-table). As practical and functional as it initially appears, there is more than meets the eye with this creation. First of all, it is a one-off design that was most recently displayed at the [Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artillery-sheds). Secondly, it has been crafted out of a unique material: [colored pencils](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tuff-pencil-cabinet). Created by sculptor Motohiro Tomii, Table of Pencils poses the questions, which the artist asked himself as he made it, "Does art serve a purpose? Does it have a function?" In this case, it can be argued that, yes, art can serve a purpose and have a function. Nevertheless, Tomii concluded that in the end "art is something incomprehensible." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.3/10 - Popularity: 65% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Art-furniture Fusion:** The trend of combining art and furniture opens up opportunities for innovative designs and unique user experiences. - **Unique Material Selection:** Exploring unconventional materials like colored pencils for furniture can lead to disruptive innovation in the industry. - **Questioning the Purpose of Art:** Challenging the traditional notions of art and its function creates room for new perspectives and breakthrough ideas. ### Where This Applies - **Furniture Design:** Furniture designers can explore the fusion of art and functionality to create visually striking and practical pieces. - **Art Galleries:** Art galleries can showcase art-furniture pieces and stimulate discussions on the purpose and boundaries of art. - **Materials Manufacturing:** Manufacturers of unconventional materials, like colored pencils, can partner with designers to develop new applications in furniture design. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Realistic Sketch-Reflective Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drawing-series.md) - [Interlocking Puzzle-Like Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/connect-table.md) - [Dual Sculpture Seating Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/immaterial-0001.md) - [Artwork-Inspired Dining Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/d12-dining-table.md) - [Imaginative Pared-Back Art Supplies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woset.md) - [Sculptural Writing Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/experimental-pencils.md) - [Puzzling Removable Tray Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/conceptual-puzzle-table.md) - [Multilevel Minimalist Office Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-office-table.md) - [Sophisticated Table Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monumental-table.md)