One and Three Chairs

I came accross this piece as one of a series of pieces by Joseph Kosuth. In displaying everyday objects in such a way Kosuth provokes quite interesting thoughts about definition and perception.

Artist Joseph Kosuth
Date 1965
Photograph www.flickr.com

'1965. Wood folding chair, mounted photograph of a chair, and photographic enlargement of a dictionary definition of "chair", Chair 32 3/8 x 14 7/8 x 20 7/8" (82 x 37.8 x 53 cm), photographic panel 36 x 24 1/8" (91.5 x 61.1 cm), text panel 24 x 24 1/8" (61 x 61.3 cm). Larry Aldrich Foundation Fund. © 2009 Joseph Kosuth / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy of the artist and Sean Kelly Gallery, New York
393.1970.a-c'

Text http://www.moma.org

This work raises some very fundamental questions in the field of conceptual art which I lack the knowledge to comment on. Please see the link below for very interesting 'Publication Excerpts'. However, these questions and the link to my own work should appear quite obvious.

Link http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=81435

Installation

Whilst manufacturing the object I had time to think about how to display it. I thought very critically about what the object actual does and the process that happens within it. Intentionally, I always viewed it from these two angles.

One, viewing the object from the outside and understanding its sculptural form
Two, viewing the object from the viewports like a facade and understanding its manipulation of space and thus the purpose for its sculptural form.

Photograph Youssef Daoud

I guess the argument can be simplified as Form vs Function or more specifically as Object vs Output and in this particular installation of the object I decided to make these two very separate entities. Another thought was to do with 'seeing the object', 'seeing through the object' and 'seeing through the object to see the object'. I guess the last thought I mentioned occurs anyway because of the nature of the object (it is essentially still one entity) but in the physical separation I felt there needed to be a hint to the sculptural form of the object when viewed from the viewports. This should explain the purpose of the canvas showing a silhouette of the form hanging in the room, in line with the central (0°) viewport.

Manufacture 'The Object'

Ingredients

1 x 2440 x 1220 x 9mm mdf
1 x 500 x 400 x 3mm acrylic silver mirror
2 x 38 x 38 x 1600 mm timber
16 x 1
80 hours labour

Recipe
Cut mdf to 100mm strips
Cut mdf to 82 mm strips
Miter angles accordingly
Glue into individual modules
Compile modules in precise formation
Secure using timber frames

Photograph Youssef Daoud

Unlike the renders I produced I found that I want to object to express how it is made. So you will notice that the mitered joints are clearly visible and it is obvious that these are separate modules compiled together.

The Exercise...

...Exercising visual control as the most obvious of the senses to manipulate. To exercise control over something, in this case the eyes in relation to space, it is important to understand which aspect of vision to focus on. For example, colour or light/dark. I would like to start with manipulating just the field of view but I realise that other elements of vision will also be affected.

My proposal

Design drawing Youssef Daoud

Each of these elements distorts the field of view by 5° increments within the range 0° to 90°. At the scale I designed this object I decided to omit the 5° viewport (for ineffective manipulation) leaving me with a total of 9 viewports compiled together in a sequence as shown in the model below.

Model Youssef Daoud

Render Youssef Daoud

Having previously made models of designs I am used to realising designs at a scale, say 1:50 or 1:200. This model is different as it is designed at the scale I will manufacture it, effectively 1:1.