Prodded, Tugged, Pushed, Pulled
2007 walnut, mahagony, rattan, steel wheels
While an artist-in-residence at the Ayala Museum in Metro Manila I constructed and modified furniture dollies, using techniques associated with local Filipino handicrafts. After modification, I reintroduced them into circulation with the goal of seeing how familiar forms, once modified, would be understood, reinterpreted and used. Furniture dollies are typically made from four pieces of inexpensive wood attached at the corners with rubber or metal wheels affixed to the underside. They are often used to move large crates, stacks of boxes or furniture and are durable enough to withstand being pushed, pulled and cast about. In contrast to the usual furniture dolly my furniture dollies mimic the style of traditional furniture through the use of hardwood and caning (sulihiya) and suggest a tension between actual and implied use. This project represents my continued interest in combining everyday materials with familiar forms to create unusual hybrids that look at the relationship between function and ornamentation.