the collapsible chair

as on the road for so many miles, focusing on overseen landscapes and places it sounds like a fairy tale that i haven't noticed my various pictures of the collapsible chair. but by going through my photographs more often, i realized, this piece of furniture was a constant companion on the roadside. like an ongoing invitation to sit down and relax, absorbing the scenery in calm. maybe i haven't done it that often, maybe the situation was too new to me being for so many miles on my own in a foreign country, maybe i wanted too much at one time.

but i take it now, focusing on the collapsible chair, its history and its meaning to me.

the first folding chairs have been found in the mediterranean area in 15th-13th century bc. they served as grave goods, e.g. tutankhamen's tomb in egypt. mostly made of wood with beautiful artistic inlays. during the middle ages they were widespread as liturgical furniture pieces. in 1928 clarin cooperation made the first all steel folding chair manufactured in the united states. and in 1947 fredric arnold created the first aluminium one. 14.000 chairs a day were produced in his factory in brooklyn/new york by 1957.

another interesting when else shocking story this chair made, when it was used as a professional wrestling weapon in the mid 1980. due to serious injuries and death it was shortly after forbidden.

but for me the collapsible chair became an important symbol, the horizon of memories. my oasis to give my body a rest, so my mind can fully concentrate. despite the fact that the x in a folding chair also symbolize authority and power, lie a kings throne or the head seat of a table, i'm more to the fact that by starting the mass production a uniformity stands against it. a familiar object, affordable for everyone and so less in weight, that regardless of their physical strength, everybody can carry them around. a lightweight commitment to spend some time at a place, creating a temporarily home. home, something i was looking for when hitting the long road on my own. the love for the united states is burning for so many years in my heart, but it was never concrete for a certain place.

a lot of offers came along with the hope to return and making decisions. it still represents feelings about the temporarily changeable nature of a static situation.