Chairs represent power and wisdom. Chairs have been symbols of leadership in history, from thrones to tribunal seats. In academic settings, chairs hold significant symbolism as a representation of authority. It is interesting to note that Arthur C. Danto’s essay, “The Seat of the Soul” explores how chairs and the people who sit in them can become intertwined. The book humorously highlights the connection between a person’s identity and the chair they sit in.
Chairs as Conveyors of Perspective
Beyond providing physical support, chairs shape our perspective. Marshall McLuhan noted that psychoanalysts required patients to recline on couches, creating a neutral backdrop for introspection. In contrast, sitting in a chair, moreover, encourages dialogue and engagement with the immediate environment. Chairs become essential tools for expressing and embodying a particular viewpoint or perspective.
The Paradox of Comfort and Discomfort
While comfort is often expected from chairs, however, many historically significant chairs, by contrast, prioritize symbolism and social function over comfort. This discomfort leads to fidgeting and constant readjustments. Dault agrees with Rudofsky that comfort is hypothetical and shows how we are always changing and have many different sides to us.
Beds and Chairs: Contrasting Spaces
Chairs facilitate social interactions, whereas beds are associated with more intimate moments such as birth, copulation, and death. Dault highlights the design differences between beds and chairs, emphasizing the unadorned potential of beds as spaces for essential activities. Chairs, on the other hand, represent delicacy and civility and serve as a contrast to our presence.
Cultural Variations
Dault’s exploration delves into how various societies associate sitting on the floor with informality, freedom, and a profound connection to nature. This cultural practice signifies a rejection of chairs’ rigidity and repression, emphasizing a more organic and liberated way of sitting. The reference to Bernard Rudofsky’s aversion to chairs and admiration for floor-based cultures further exemplifies the norm of sitting without chairs in these societies, highlighting their alternative perspective on seating arrangements.
Reimagining Chair Designs
During the countercultural movement of the 1960s, designers attempted to challenge the rigidity of chairs. Floppy beanbags and inflatable chairs emerged as alternatives to the traditional upright structure. However, these designs remained short-lived curiosities, and the dominance of the Western chair prevailed.
Chairs are a permanent part of Western civilization, even though they can be uncomfortable and inflexible. Furthermore, architects and designers continually reshape and reimagine chairs, exploring their artistic potential. And designers continually reshape and reimagine chairs, exploring their sculptural and expressive potential. The chair’s ubiquitous presence makes it immune to criticism, as it has become an article of faith. Reflecting on the significance of chairs allows us to gain a deeper understanding of how these seemingly mundane objects shape our social, cultural, and personal experiences.
Article from 6 May 1989 The Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
More design articles
❤️ Receive our newsletter
Discover more from Encyclopedia of Design
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.