Complex histories are embodied in these old wooden chairs. Fashions of the day are revealed in style and colours, everyday family activity preserved in scratches, holes and dents, while an iron burn or sawn seat corner tell of their inherent usefulness and of all too familiar accidents. Structural failures indicate deficiencies of manufacturing while careful repairs speak of an ap- preciation of the value of the object, as well as the skills and resources of the repairer. Their individuality, history and imperfection are celebrated for their contribution to the richness and texture of our experience.
Two curious chairs inspired this series of works. I’d been working with single chairs or at most, pairs of identical chairs until then. Unmatched chairs seemed to preclude tidy design solu- tions, but these two demanded special consideration. They were both blue and had unusual wooden pegs located under the seat, apparently for gentlemen to stow their hats on in church. They were the only chairs I’d seen like this and were just asking to be put together. Personality began to subvert the design process.
The works became viewed as an expression of partnerships: teams, marriages, collaborations or even political coalitions. Different individuals coming together through shared goals, inter- ests or backgrounds. But they also bring with them unanticipated, often antagonistic differenc- es that hold the seeds of disillusionment and dissent.
Accommodation of these is essential to the creation of harmony and maintenance of unity. I love this interaction, the dynamic tension between order and chaos, necessity and desire. It’s a delicate balance commonly experienced when vision meets reality.
I work a lot as an artist in multidisciplinary design teams, in different roles and for a range of clients. Structurally these pieces are guided by my experiences in this area: the particular bal- ance within the design team or the relationship between team and client. We spend a lot of time framing a vision and then begin a journey of shepherding it through convoluted processes to realisation. The degree of intactness in the finish is always different and depends entirely on the interaction between individuals along the way.
To view available works from this series please make your enquiry through the
contact page.