Ladies' Armchair (Portrait of the Artist as a Chair)

Mahogany, Ash, Flame Birch Inlay, Silk, Velvet, Brass, Horse hair

An investigation of sexuality, exploitation and service, this 19th century Sheraton replica combines subversive self-portraiture with traditional craft. The chair is upholstered in silk and velvet that match the artist’s skin tones—chairs at the time were often upholstered with skins of exotic animals, this chair abstracts that act of domination and decoration by applying it to my body. The decorative elements are typical of the era but can also be interpreted as icons of female power (flame crotches, petaled flowers), creating both a throne for a proud craftsperson and a refuge for a woman working in a male-dominated space.

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