American designer Jirah Joshua joins Todd Merrill Studio with a new iteration of his unique Bean Bag Chair, first unveiled at Alcova Milano earlier this year.

Created through an ongoing creative dialogue with Todd Merrill, this new version features a richly patinated bronze frame and warm nude upholstery, emphasizing the interplay of sensuality and structure. Each frame is cast in a foundry in Mexico City, while the upholstered leather seat is hand-stitched by the artist—merging industrial materiality with couture-level craftsmanship.

Jirah draws from his background as an Afro-Indigenous artist raised in small-town Kansas. Influenced by Native American leatherwork, ancient African bronze casting, and the quiet, dark aesthetics of rural life—its clapboard farmhouses, Carpenter Gothic churches, the humility of handwork, and the kind of solitude that breeds authenticity without audience—his work reflects a deep sensitivity to material and memory. His perspective was later reshaped by a solo move away from Kansas at seventeen, encountering the fast pace of New York City, the theatricality of Montreal, the sleek discipline of Chicago, and the grime and grandeur of London.

Joshua’s practice bridges the boundaries between art, fashion, and design. His anthropomorphic forms are both playful and commanding, inviting dialogue about the body, identity, and form as function. His debut marks a bold addition to Todd Merrill Studio’s roster of sculptural, conceptually driven designers.

As Joshua works on a commission basis, custom designs may be requested.