Reading and Seating

Many of you will know this, but I am a huge fan of chairs! They are at the same time practical and beautiful, and there’s something about a chair that can be so telling about a designer and a person. And so you can imagine that I was pretty excited to hear about this show opening tomorrow (March 1st) at the Boghossian Foundation’s Villa Empain in Belgium.

A Book Between Two Stools - Eva Hjorth - The Wiener Chair - L’ArcoBaleno blog Eva Hjorth’s “The Wiener Chair” 2012. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

Titled A Book Between Two Stools, the exhibition brings together books and chair-art objects, with the thesis that both are essential devices of mediation and communication between people. The exhibition includes just shy of 200 books and chairs created by designers and artists from around the globe, including Eyal Burstein, Raw Edges, Maarten Baas, Tom Dixon, and the Campana Brothers to name just a few!

And maybe best of all, attendees are invited to interact with the pieces, reading and sitting on them during their visit. I’d definitely get along to this one if you can!

A Book Between Two Stools - Tobias Sternberg - Spirit Chair - L’ArcoBaleno blog Tobias Sternberg’s “Spirit Chair” 2004. Wood. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Pepe Heykoop - Brickchair - L’ArcoBaleno blog

A Book Between Two Stools - Jonathan Callan - The Selected Works of Mao Tse Tung - L’ArcoBaleno blog Jonathan Callan’s “The Selected Works of Mao Tse Tung” 2010. Mixed media. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Kenneth Josephson - Chicago (88‐4‐9) - L’ArcoBaleno blog Kenneth Josephson’s “Chicago (88‐4‐9)” 1988. Photography. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Boris Dennler - Heather Chair - L’ArcoBaleno blog Boris Dennler’s “Heather Chair” 2011. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Eyal Burstein - Pyramid Chair - L’ArcoBaleno blog

A Book Between Two Stools - Darren Foote - Television - L’ArcoBaleno blog Darren Foote’s “Television” 2008. Wood. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Elodie Antoine - Chaises à bascules - L’ArcoBaleno blog Elodie Antoine’s “Chaises à bascules” 2009. Galila’s
Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Brig Laugier - Livre - L’ArcoBaleno blog Brig Laugier’s “Livre” s.d.. Folded paper. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo : Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stools - Soon YoungLee - Jacob’s Ladder - L’ArcoBaleno blog Soon Young Lee’s “Jacob’s Ladder” 2010. Photography. Galila’s Collection. © the artist / photo: Nicolas Suk.

A Book Between Two Stoolsis on from March 1st until September 7th, 2014, at the Boghossian Foundation’s Villa Empain in Belgium.

* Image of Eyal Burstein’s Pyramid Chair is courtesy of the designer. All other images are © Nicolas Suk, courtesy of the Boghossian Foundation.