Wood Chair, 2023
Oil paint, epoxy clay, plywood, MDF, wood
16.5 x 16.25 x 34.75 in.
Photography: Joyce Lin
Wood Chair in Oak, 2024
Oil paint, epoxy clay, plywood, MDF, wood
16.5 x 16.25 x 34.75 in.
Photography: Joyce Lin
Wood Chair in Fir, 2024
Oil paint, epoxy clay, plywood, MDF, wood
16.5 x 16.25 x 34.75 in.
Photography: Joyce Lin
Commission for Munson Museum of Art, Utica, NY
Wood Chair in Ash, 2024
Oil paint, epoxy clay, plywood, MDF, wood
Beetles: epoxy, wire
16.5 x 16.25 x 34.75 in.
Description:
The ecological landscape of North America is currently undergoing a dramatic shift, as ash trees—a keystone species in the Eastern US and one of our staple sources of domestic hardwoods—are being decimated by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer. The beetle’s larvae tunnel through the inner bark, consuming vital nutrients and ultimately killing the tree. In the past decade, the EAB has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees, pushing the species toward functional extinction across the country.
In this special version of the Wood Chair, I created three small beetles and placed them at various locations. The bark process began with carving the understructure to form the tree’s distinctive diamond-shaped crevices, followed by application of epoxy clay. The back exposes “de-barked” patches engraved with larva tunnels, as well as a few D-shaped exit holes.