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Chaos Chair

A work made of tubular stainless steel, rubber, polyurethane foam, leather, and polyester fiber.

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  • A work made of tubular stainless steel, rubber, polyurethane foam, leather, and polyester fiber.

Date:

2001

Artist:

Konstantin Grcic (German, born 1965)
Manufactured by ClassiCon (German, founded 1990)

About this artwork

Discouraged by the uniformity of approaches to sofa design, designer Konstantin Grcic created Chaos. As its name suggests, rather than encouraging users to sit comfortably, Chaos triggers a sense of unease. Although the chair is actually stable, its compact, angular form appears to balance precariously on a thin metal stand, giving the impression that it will tip over if sat on and thus encouraging users to perch rather than recline. As Grcic attested, this is the point: “When I am sitting in front of someone or in a public space, I am more comfortable sitting on the edge of a chair and leaning into a conversation rather than lounging back in my seat.” Envisioned for use in public spaces such as lobbies or waiting rooms, the chair’s forked silhouette was determined by tracing a variety of seating positions into the lines of the design.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Konstantin Grcic (Designer)

Title

Chaos Chair

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

2001

Medium

Tubular stainless steel, rubber, polyurethane foam, leather, and polyester fiber

Dimensions

74.3 × 90 × 50 cm (29 1/4 × 35 7/16 × 19 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Luminaire

Reference Number

2009.617

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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