Dis Place

From 2016 to present I took photos of chairs I found all over New York City streets. I knew I would return to my street chair collection and began my investigation during the Sustainable Arts Foundation AIRspace Parent Artist Residency. 

 

The project looks to personalize as many of the 200+ photos of chairs outdoors. The collection of artworks consist of painting, printmaking, pen drawings, photographs and a large mural.

 

I’ve entitled this series ‘Dis Place’ because of its ability to define the multiple facets of the artworks. The title describes the movement of the chair from inside to outside but also the ability to revisit the chair’s intimate connection to the body becoming symbols synonymous with transient bodies forced to leave home. I think about the historical connection humans have to chairs as chattel and the movement of enslaved people all over the world.

 ‘Dis’ is used as a version of ‘this’ alluding to English learners mistaking the pronunciation or phonics of the language and ‘dis’ as an abbreviation for the word disrespect. And 'Place' referring to a portion of space available or designated for or being used by someone.