The introduction to the China Chair Project and its catalogue begins with a quote by Richard Artschwager: “Art is useless; furniture is useful. If you sit your ass on it, it’s a chair, if you walk around and look at it it’s art …In fact, the more layers of meaning, the better.” Curated by Paul Hughes, this exhibition features designs by artists given the task of creating a chair. Most of the artists chosen for the commission had never worked in three-dimensional media prior to this, and were given no instructions as to medium or design functionality. The result, however, was a collection of fantastic usable pieces of sculpture on display in Miami last week. Shown above is Space Cadet by the Unmask Art Group.

Artists: various
+ chinachairproject.com

Jabba the Hug (fibreglass) by Xiang Jing

Kill Bill, a cocktail table by the Unmask Art Group. The tops of the stools can be removed to serve as footrests.

Love Me Do by Shi Jianmin.

Re-education Through Inquisition by Shi Jinsong, an echo of torture methods.

Suckling Piglets Feeding from the Cornucopia of Nature's Eternal Wellspring by Shi Jianmin