Bastard Chairs
Michael Wolf photographs life and vernacular culture in Chinese metropolises. His recent project focuses on quintessential design objects — chairs.
Chairs are essential objects that are frequently presented in museum collections, whether for their historical, anthropological or design value. They tell stories about the people who built them and the people who sat on them, their status, interest and skills. There are plenty of chairs that we won’t find in museums, chairs made by people to meet their momentary need to be seated. Michael Wolf photographed these DIY chairs mainly in mainland China and Hong Kong, documenting these improvised street creations, each personalised by its maker. He calls them ‘bastard chairs’ in affectionate reference to their dubious origin.