COPY CHAIRS

2016

My copy chair series take an existing object through a complete transformation. The project consisted of fabricating chairs and other furniture from paper, in the method of paper mache. Beginning with a ubiquitous dining chair I applied the sheets with paste until the entire piece was covered. Once dry I was able to remove the chair from its new covering and was left with an outer surface of paper or skin. Although the production method is not rapid the result is a lightweight unified form which is visually softer than the original chair.

The simple copy paper used does not easily conform to complex form and creates radii at every corner or right angle. Creases populate the entirety of the surface which vary in size and frequency. The complex geometry of the paper crumpling is in contrast to the newly organic shape of the chair shell. Each ‘copy’ of the chair will be slightly different yet the chair of origin remains recognizable despite the changes in color, shape and texture. If this process of duplication were extended by making copies of the copies at some point the original would be ambiguous.