Totem emerged from a desire to dramatize and ritualise the serving of cocktails. The lower part of the piece, crafted in clear glass, contains a ready-made cocktail, whilst the upper section serves as an ice bucket. Thanks to its cork base, the latter can also be used to seal the carafe so that it is air-tight. As for the glasses, they stack away neatly inside an iced chiller and remain easy to access. Everything is brought together with a leather handle this portable bar is elegant, safe and practical to carry around - even one - handed. The juxtaposition of these shapes and materials has resulted in a sculptural and visually surprising piece, reminiscent of tribal totem poles with their characteristic stack of animal heads.
Benwu Studio was founded in 2011 by Hongchao Wang and Peng You. Hongchao has worked in several New York designer studios such as Stephen Burks and Søren Rose. He is a current ECAL graduate student. Peng had worked in several London design studios. He is a current graduate student at Royal College of Art.