Client: AHAF
Completion date: 2014
Artwork budget: $88,000
Project Team
Artist
Eunsook Lee
Art Consultant
Mike Myungho Lee
Client
Norma Tang
Harbour City
Client
Ester Kim
Asia Hotel Art Fair 2014
Overview
Chair of Understanding consists of more than thousand chairs, using 145 km of fluorescent thread, 18.9 km of polyester film, and 19,000 of UV LED lights. Giant chair is 5.25m * 5.25m * 3.60m in dimension.
Goals
"Chair of understanding" was site specific interactive art; therefore, it was very important to consider the architecture, scale and safety. At the same time, I wanted to insert lively energy to the space while providing a moment to relax. My Installation uses ultra violet light to express the world we can not see. Lighting effect was harmonized with Hong Kong's famous night life. The giant smile face on top of the art work shows people's attitude toward the City. This project was focused on human interaction and bonding beyond our races and languages.
Process
Chair of Understanding was a private/public project that AHAF (Asia Hotel Art Fair) suggested to install my art work at Harbour city during the Art Fair. The site, Harbour city's Forecourt, was floating on water and very windy; therefore, our project team worked with many parties to overcome its restrains and considerations. We only had 48 hours to install the whole project because the site was one of the most busiest area in Hong Kong. Harbour City, AHAF, and my team worked day and night for full 48 hours to complete the "Mission Impossible." The bench was open to the public; however, the giant chair was barricaded for safety reason.
Additional Information
Nowadays, chances for communication and interaction among people are rare. In response to this phenomenon, I constructed a giant chair with a group of smaller chairs made of thousands of polyester compartments to break the tie. Family names in different languages are written on each of the small chair to signify the connection between people from different countries, of different languages and different races. Highlighted with special lighting effect, they not only bring unique visual experience, but also provide a platform for visitors to re-examine human relationships