Since many people have started placing hard rubbish at their lawn for the council collection, I have been looking different objects as I walk to the school. It is interesting to get a glimpse of individuals’ lifestyle and what they decided to ‘eliminate’ from their house. Yesterday, this pair of distinctive chairs caught my eyes. They were placed next to each other, facing the same direction. One had a reclining seat and foot rest, covered with leather-like material. Another chair consisted of woven material and thin metal poles curved to form outline of the chair. What I found funny was that their contrasting forms reminded me of particular groups of people portrayed with certain characteristics. It may be because I tend to personify objects… but the impressions on their textures, surface qualities and attitudes resemble what kind of human those chairs could be, or what kind of people would have used them.
Being allocated in the whimsical context, these chairs would be waiting to be collected in hot, cold or wet weather until the day. As I considered the time they would be together and the spacial relationship between them, I realised that not only would they be contrasting, but they could be complementing each other to maintain the balance. Each chair has visual, structural and functional elements that another chair doesn’t have. I don’t know the exact length of time they will be out on the lawn and be exposed to all sorts of weather conditions, but I am curious how they interact with bystanders or people who walk past them. If there was only one of them, the situation and the people’s reaction may be different. What I like about observing objects is that they can give you a new perspective on them in a unique context (environment and circumstances) you never have thought before.
Saran Kim | Blog 