THE STORY
The Chair Project was born out of my visual interaction with classrooms at Boston University's (BU) College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) -- white walls, a chalkboard, and dozens of identical beige and blue chairs. As an Economics and Environmental Policy major, I spent many hours in CAS wishing my learning environment could be more engaging.
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During my final semester at BU I was encouraged to make my wish a reality when I took a class called Site Specific Design at the College of Fine Arts (CFA). With approval and awarded funds from BU, I recruited a diverse group of artists to join the project. Together we transformed 22 tablet-chairs into personally expressive pieces of art. The chairs were installed in CAS classrooms in Fall 2013, where they have been utilized and enjoyed by the BU community since.
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The primary goal of the Chair Project was to create an exciting way for students to interact with their learning environment and inspire them to reimagine their workspace. As the project progressed, another goal surfaced: to encourage conversation about interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork.
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While the chairs are currently housed in CAS, the project required support from a variety of departments. This includes the Office of the Registrar, CFA's School of Visual Arts, the Facilities
Office, and the Dean of CAS. Additionally, the artists involved represent four different colleges: CFA, CAS, the College of Communications (COM), and the School of Management (SMG), as well as over fifteen majors and minors including: Painting, Set Design, Business, Economics, Art Education, Environmental Policy and Human Physiology.
The interdisciplinary interactions that the Chair Project facilitated were so positive and I’m grateful to have had these experiences. However, during my time as a BU student, I encountered many instances where people seemed apprehensive to work outside their department. This is unfortunate because it results in missed opportunities and unexplored potential.
BU prides itself on diversity, strong community, and cutting-edge research. These elements are enriched when people from different backgrounds and opinions join forces. My hope is that the Chair Project can help bring the BU community together, initiating conversations about university-wide collaboration and teamwork.
Thank you for visiting the site. I invite you to explore and enjoy!
- Hila Landesman
