Some pieces of furniture are meant to be used as they were originally created for. Others are meant to be admired design-wise although they’re not always as functional. Some are meant to mimic furniture but are actually designed as sculptures or art installations. Then there are those pieces that seem to be all of the above. This series of conceptual furniture falls into that category.

Designer: Michael Jantzen

The “Moving Furniture” series takes that fleeting thought of the “ghosts” of chairs and tables as they move through time and space and solidifies it into tangible, thought-provoking art. This collection of conceptual furniture, designed for both indoor and outdoor spaces, isn’t just about a place to sit or set down a drink; it’s a visual exploration of how objects occupy and traverse the realms of space and time. It’s like you’re imagining them as stop motion animation but they’re actual pieces of furniture that you can use once you stop admiring them.

The pieces are crafted from painted wood for the interiors and then robust painted steel for the exteriors. They begin with the simple and archetypal forms of chairs and tables but are then reimagined in traces of movement either through linear streaks, fragmented shapes, or echoes of their original form. The result is a dynamic composition, a frozen moment that hints at a past trajectory and perhaps even a future one. You might encounter a chair with an ethereal extension suggesting it’s in the process of being pulled away, or a table with layered segments that imply a shift in position over time. While the primary goal is artistic expression, some pieces remain usable in the traditional sense. Imagine sitting on a chair that visually embodies the act of sitting, or placing your coffee cup on a table that seems to be in a perpetual state of gentle drift. This blend of the practical and the conceptual adds another layer of intrigue to the series.

The aesthetic intention behind “Moving Furniture” is clear: to forge a novel sculptural art form. By crystallizing the ephemeral traces of movement, the artist creates objects that are both familiar and utterly unexpected. These aren’t just pieces of furniture; they are visual narratives, prompting viewers to consider the unseen forces and histories that shape our physical world. They invite us to see the everyday with fresh eyes, to perceive the inherent dynamism in even the most static of objects. In a world often obsessed with stillness, “Moving Furniture” offers a vibrant and insightful perspective on the beauty of implied motion.