Serbian artist Marina Abramović has collaborated with Mexican design studio La Metropolitana on the Elephant in the Room chair collection, which was presented in an exhibition and performance during Mexico City art week.
Abramović worked with La Metropolitana on the limited series of wood-and-copper chairs titled Elephant in the Room, which was showcased in a cavernous space adjacent to the studio’s workshops in the Productora-designed Laguna art space in a former factory in the city’s Doctores neighbourhood.
The team called it the “first-ever works of design” by the artist.
The chairs consist of simple Rosa Morada wood elements with blocky feet that display an elegant dove-tail joint, made using traditional joinery techniques.
The chairs have small copper plates underneath them, affixed in a way that resembles horseshoes.
Two different types of chair were created – one with a high back and no arms and another with a single, small arm, rendered in darker Cocobolo wood, that wraps around the back of the chair.
A final, conceptual piece was created by Abramović to break away from “conventional proportions”. Called Elephant, it has a tower backrest wrapped in a thick copper spiral.
Abramović worked with the studio to develop the chairs that were then hand-crafted by artisans, a process the studio said takes several days.
The materials were recycled, when possible, with much of the wood coming from stores of illegal precious wood seized by the government, and the copper came from coins and industrial waste.
The artist and studio said that the collection was meant to showcase ethical ‘elephants in the room’, such as the overexploitation of rare woods and the dilution of craft techniques, and the accompanying exhibition was meant to drive home these concepts.
“Objects can transcend utility to become conveyors of energy and creators of emotional links, reflecting our ability to transform materials with purpose and sensitivity,” said Abramović.
For the exhibition, the team organised the chairs in a large space adjoining the workshop on the floor and on a podium overlooking the space.
The chairs on the floor were positioned on small pedestals, with some standing upright and some turned over, with the Elephant piece standing tall in the centre of the space.
Abramović then used the exhibition for a performance piece, where she interacted with the chairs during an art week presentation.
This year, design exhibitions took a more front-and-centre role during the annual art week than in previous years, with the second iteration of the Unique Design X fair showcasing collectible design above the Material art fair in the city’s centre.
Abramović was involved in a number of events during the art week, including another performance to celebrate the conversion of a house by Mexican mid-century architect Luis Barragán into an arts centre.
La Metropolitana was founded in 2008 by Rodrigo Escobedo, Mauricio Guerrero, and Alex Gutiérrez and creates Shaker-informed furniture, working “to improve the lives of those involved in its production chain” by providing employment to local artisans.
The photography is by Maya Kariana unless otherwise stated.
Elephant in the Room was on show from 4 to 28 February. For more exhibitions, events and talks in architecture and design please visit Dezeen Events Guide.
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