About This Exhibition
Chairs tell a story about how furniture design has changed over the years. Technology, style and society all influence how people design and use chairs.
You can see this history in the exhibition “The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design.” The exhibition includes over 40 chairs. It celebrates the chair as a useful object and a work of art.
To see this exhibition in person, visit the museum Thursdays – Sundays. Read about museum safety rules on our website and book your free timed ticket: georgiamuseum.org
Chair Compare
“I wanted to create an experience.” — Vivian Beer
Vivian Beer (b. 1977), “Current,” 2004.
Take a moment to look at this chair. What are some things you notice about it?
Like many of the chairs in this exhibition, this chair is unique. That means it is a one-of-a-kind design. It was handmade. The artist who created it, Vivian Beer, said she “wanted it to feel as fast and clean as water.” Do you think this chair feels that way?
Thomas E. Warren, centripetal spring arm chair, ca. 1850
Compare Beer’s blue chair to this one. How are they different? This chair was made over 150 years before “Current.” Thomas Warren made this chair using special springs he invented. He also used cast iron. Cast iron is heavy and strong, which allows for delicate, lacy details. This chair can rotate in any direction. (Centripetal means moving along a circular path.)
Call Call 706-872-2059, and enter 4 or 31 to hear collector Diane Jacobsen talk about these two chairs.
It’s a Gift to be Simple
Designed and made by a Shaker for a community member, rocking arm chair, ca. 1840
This Shaker chair is a good example of simple design. The Shakers were a religious group known for this kind of design. Their style inspired many designers and artists. It valued function, or how an object would be used, above all else. Shaker design also focused on quality. The furniture was meant to last a long time.
The Shakers invented many things we use every day: the clothespin, the washing machine and the flat broom. They also invented the woven cloth tape seat on this chair.
Call Call 706-872-2059, and enter 9 to hear Diane Jacobsen talk about this chair.
Mini Wire Chairs
Chair designers create all different kinds of chairs. Now it is your turn to design and create a one-of-a-kind chair!
You will need the following supplies included in the art kit* (or found at home).
- Armature wire*
- Long-nose pliers*
- Colored paper*
- Glue stick*
- Scissors
Directions:
- Start by testing out your wire. Designers should understand their materials. Bend it back and forth. Make a curve in the wire and then keep making a curve until you have a circle. Make different shapes using your hands or pliers.
- Check out the video link below for ideas on how to bend wire to make a chair.
- Be patient. Keep bending your wire into legs, backs and seats until you are happy with the shape of your chair.
- Create seats and backs by cutting and gluing paper. Fold the paper around the wire. Add glue and firmly press the paper together until it sticks. Combine different colors of wire for decoration.
- Design little tables or other furniture with leftover materials.
TIP: Limit how often you cut your wire. Bending long pieces into shapes is much easier than attaching separate pieces of wire. It also helps make your chair sturdy and stable
6” Wire Chair Video by 98Point6
We’d love your feedback! Please take a few minutes to complete a survey about this program.
Family Day art kits are sponsored by Heyward Allen Motor Co., Inc., Heyward Allen Toyota and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.
View downloadable PDF of this activity