Designed by Han Seungmin.
Walking through various Asian neighborhoods in New York, one simply cannot miss the flashy presence of the highly polished, shiny stainless steel fences, guardrails, doors, and even awnings that line the brick and concrete buildings. Originated and mass produced in China in the 80s, these stainless steel architectural components spread quickly into countries near and far (like South Korea, where the artist encountered them on a day-to-day basis growing up) due to their affordability, as well as ease of maintenance and customization. Eventually they landed in New York, and spread quickly among many Asian and West Indian neighborhoods–becoming one of the iconic signifiers of the immigrant communities’ built environment.
More than distinct, these fences can often be a highly polarizing aesthetic, if not downright unapologetic–an aptly defiant attitude for a current political climate where immigrant communities are unceasingly targeted. White Picket Chair reconfigures and transforms these architectural stainless steel components into a chair. These components are the same modular, mass-manufactured parts that make up the fences and the railings. While the chair’s decorative finials and arched, emblemed rails resemble a fence commonly found in the residential streets of say, Sunset Park, Flushing, or Little Guyana, additional posts at the front and ribbed tubes connecting to the back add unlikely dimensionality in a way that whimsically teeters between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Detail & Care: Do not jump on the chair; keep sharp and hard objects away from chair; clean with non-abrasive wipes/towels; keep dry
— Size (L x W x H): 24×21×33”
— Weight: ~25 lbs
— Materials: Stainless Steel
Please allow 4-6 weeks for production before the order is shipped.
Studio photos by Gene Han. Street photos by artist. Fabrication help from Brooklyn Stainless Steel.
Designed by Han Seungmin.
Walking through various Asian neighborhoods in New York, one simply cannot miss the flashy presence of the highly polished, shiny stainless steel fences, guardrails, doors, and even awnings that line the brick and concrete buildings. Originated and mass produced in China in the 80s, these stainless steel architectural components spread quickly into countries near and far (like South Korea, where the artist encountered them on a day-to-day basis growing up) due to their affordability, as well as ease of maintenance and customization. Eventually they landed in New York, and spread quickly among many Asian and West Indian neighborhoods–becoming one of the iconic signifiers of the immigrant communities’ built environment.
More than distinct, these fences can often be a highly polarizing aesthetic, if not downright unapologetic–an aptly defiant attitude for a current political climate where immigrant communities are unceasingly targeted. White Picket Chair reconfigures and transforms these architectural stainless steel components into a chair. These components are the same modular, mass-manufactured parts that make up the fences and the railings. While the chair’s decorative finials and arched, emblemed rails resemble a fence commonly found in the residential streets of say, Sunset Park, Flushing, or Little Guyana, additional posts at the front and ribbed tubes connecting to the back add unlikely dimensionality in a way that whimsically teeters between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Detail & Care: Do not jump on the chair; keep sharp and hard objects away from chair; clean with non-abrasive wipes/towels; keep dry
— Size (L x W x H): 24×21×33”
— Weight: ~25 lbs
— Materials: Stainless Steel
Please allow 4-6 weeks for production before the order is shipped.
Studio photos by Gene Han. Street photos by artist. Fabrication help from Brooklyn Stainless Steel.
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