As a response to the extremely fast growing metropolis Beijing, in which temporality and obsolescence seem to menace each and every object, we focussed on the small things of daily street life.
In the most varied parts of the capital we found customised seats used by people such as security guards, street vendors or rickshaw drivers. We were fascinated by the many charming details of these primitive seats, the way the various materials and parts were connected and the relationship to their respective makers.
The stools, probably cherished for a lifetime, testify to a long history in which both the maker and the user leave their traces. We purchased some of these stools and cast them in aluminium. A way for us to pay homage to them, and an answer to China’s famous culture of copying.
Year
2007
Dimensions
Various sizes (stool with extended legs: H 600, W 290, D 270 mm;
seat height: 400 mm; Cardboard box: H 220, W 310, D 350 mm
Material
Coated aluminium
Limited edition of 12 series, 5 different stools per series, red or blue/green
Project
Entity Identity, residency Beijing
In collaboration with
Veerle Wenes
Collection
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam