Chair 11 by Liam Lee

Lee’s chair re-envisages the ubiquitous functional object as a  fantastical sculptural form.  Here the domestic interior is transformed into a microcosm of the natural world, referencing fungi, seeds, coral and biological pathogens. Starting with a simple poplar frame, Lee has harnessed wool needle-felting as a sculptural tool, slowly building the surface of the chair over several months to achieve a rigid, incredibly dense structure. The striking forms of the work are further enhanced using bold colours, created by hand-dying merino wool. The chair is both functional yet provocative and strange, unsettling the supposed security of the domestic space.