Chairs on the Brain

Kendall Buster

Buster, a sculptor who studied microbiology in college, creates large scale works of art that look like what one might see under a microscope. Her work invites us to explore and look into a world much smaller than ours.

Like Puryear, Buster's sculptures reference another world without being literal. It calls our attention to objects that we may glance over or not be able to see. Again, I love that the work is visually clean and organized. Although it has been man made, it seems natural; the material disappears. These works might smell more bitter or tangy. 

One thing that Buster said that hit me was how form in nature serves a purpose. Cells and blood vessels take their respected shape because it is the one most suited for the job. In this way I think design tries to do the work of nature and create suitable objects for our everyday lives.

Martin Puryear

Puryear is a sculptor who begans working with the Post-Minimalists of the 1960s. He has traveled across the world to study various cultures and materials. From his knowledge of history, technology and architecture he creates pieces that seem like recognizable objects.

Here is one of my favorite pieces:

All of the objects are beautiful by themselves-- the lines and craftsmanship make them visually interesting. The materials work seamlessly with the form. All of his sculptures make me think of something I would have seen before in a history book, but I can't place it. I think of baskets, tools, organs, and instruments. I imagine it smells natural, like wet dirt or fresh rain.

4x4 Chair Challenge

For the first part of this project, we were asked to make a chair that would fold from a 4'x4' sheet of cardboard into a seat. No glue or adhesives could be used, and no sections of the square could be cut out. After supporting the designer at least 6 inches off the ground, the chair should be able to unfold into the 4'x4' sheet. 

In my design, the square in the center acts as the seat for the chair, and the side strips fold into themselves to become the legs. Slits keep the cylinder legs self-contained. Since they are still attached to the center, they move under the chair easily and keep the pieces attached. My chair ended up about 16 inches off the ground and supported my weight fine.

Project #2: Seating in Context

For the next project, my design class will be making a cardboard chair that is represents my relationship with someone.

To learn about how cardboard functions, we had to make a seat from a 4 foot by 4 foot sheet of cardboard. The seat had to sit 6 inches off the ground, support my weight and unfold into the 4x4 sheet. Eventually I figured out how to make my chair work, but I had to make quite a few models to get there.

The Final Collage

Before putting the pictures together, I worked on InDesign for quite some time to plan out how the pictures would be arranged. I wanted the viewer to believe that the tank was a real object. I tried my best to aline the rocks neatly, and compose the fish throughout the water. The pictures are 4x6 matter prints, and I adhered them to a white foam core. I think the final product turned out well, and I hope I can fit in my car to take home. 

Putting It Together