Introduction
I have been working on this project since 2001 and it is now in its thrid version. This installation is entitled Table and Chairs [Of Knowledge]. I have created a table and two chairs out of my shredded university notes, a degree in psychology.
I had been saving my notes for years thinking I might refer to them at some point, but never did. Instead of just throwing them away, I wanted to make use of all the work that went into them in the first place. It's like making new life of this knowledge and information that I once knew, but now is lost to me.
The sculpture looks friendly and familiar, almost animated and especially enticing to sit on. It is, however, completely non-functional. It was important to me to for it be 'useless', as useless as an arts degree in psychology is to a visual artist. But then perhaps since I have been able to make this work, it is in the end, useful. I often put humour, irony or bitter-sweet sadness into my sculptures and installations.
I took pictures of the sculpture on the Carleton University campus (2005) because this is where the original notes were made. For a while, I have thought it would be fun to burn the entire installation in a big bonfire, but for now the table and chairs are tucked safely into storage for a re-appearance in the future.
