Cross Cultural Chairs

The cultural diversification of design and the organic evolution of biodiversity may initially appear as distinct processes. However, upon closer examination, they reveal a profound interconnectedness and universality related to the interplay between creative and natural phenomena - they both involve adaptation, diversification, and the interplay of form and function over time, shaped by diverse factors such as environment and interactions with other cultures or species. Recognizing this parallelism entails delving into a deeper understanding of the diverse cultural heritage of creative evolution across cultures.

Cross Cultural Chairs is a design project that focuses on this analogy, investigating the anthropology of chairs and how people sit around the world. The research-based project was started by Sicilian designer Matteo Guarnaccia in 2018, when he began traveling to eight of the most populated countries in the world. He spent a month each in Brazil, Mexico, Japan, China, Indonesia, India, Russia, and Nigeria, collaborating with local designers and artisans and observing what social and cultural differences emerged through each country's tradition of chairs. In each country, the project underwent adaptations to suit varying schedules in working environments, encompassing a spectrum from diverse production timelines to the use of crafts and machinery.

During the first week of every trip, Guarnaccia engaged in research, visiting museums, exploring cultural landmarks, and conducting interviews. The second week focussed on collaborating with a local designer, working together on the creation and development of the chair concept. The third week was dedicated to the actual production of the prototype, involving artisans in the on-site team. Finally, in the fourth and concluding week, the focus turned to communication and photography, capturing both the country chair and the creative process that brought to its design. He visited and collaborated with Brunno Jahara in Brazil, Studio Jose De La O in Mexico, Mikiya Kobayashi in Japan, Studio Hiji in Indonesia, Benwu Studio in China, SP+A in India, Crosby Studios in Russia, and studio Nm Bello in Nigeria. The result of this year-long extensive research was then condensed into a website, a documentary, a 300-pages book, and a final itinerant exhibition.

“Sitting is a common necessity, but do we approach it in the same way? Is the way of gathering changing according to a globalized attitude to consuming design? Can the act of sitting be transcendent, active, and powerful? Or is the use of a chair a random, mundane behavior? Is the chair a possible physical result of colonization? How do chairs impact humans on a global scale? Does asking these questions matter?”¹
The act of sitting is a fundamental posture that transcends cultures, ages, and lifestyles, playing a significant role in all human experiences. It allows us to unwind and recharge; it facilitates social interactions and sharing; it provides an opportunity for contemplation and introspection. From moments of relaxation to engaging in activities, sitting is an integral part of how we interact with our environment and connect with others. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans likely adopted sitting postures for activities such as crafting tools and engaging in communal activities; Later on, sitting began to carry cultural meaning, and be associated with spirituality.

Still today, various cultural and spiritual practices emphasize the significance of the sitting posture and its impact on our energy flow, grounding, and connection to the natural world. In several Native cultures sitting in a circle during gatherings symbolized equality and unity among participants—while in many Asian communities around the world, sitting directly on the earth is considered an act of respect and reverence for the land and its spiritual significance. Energy flows through specific pathways in the body along the spine and through the chakras, as recalled by the chair developed in Mumbai with Sameep Padora and Ajay Shah, which allows sitting with crossed legs.
Similarly for many communities based in the same region, the act of sitting is often connected to traditional practices and rituals; In Japanese culture for instance, sitting in seiza (kneeling position) is a common way to show respect towards elders and during ceremonies, as acknowledged in the legless, tatami-inspired chair developed in Japan with Mikiya Kobayashi.

However, with the beginning of colonization, new customs and practices were imposed, often clashing with traditional ways of sitting. As Guarnaccia stated himself “One of the conclusions I came to is that the chair could be the physical representation of modern colonization, because many of the countries I’ve been to only adopted the chair with the arrival of Western ‘guests’. Almost all Asian countries did not use it until they were colonized. It is a purely Western object that is then modified according to local materials and knowledge.”² Western-style chairs and sitting postures were introduced as symbols of wealth and power and slowly became associated with the colonial elites. Chairs became synonymous with modernity and progress, and the characteristic of elevating individuals above ground level reinforced power dynamics, status and authority. On the other hand, traditional seating methods that were closely connected to the land and natural environment, were marginalized as symbols of backwardness or primitiveness, leading to a decline in the use of traditional sitting practices in some communities.

In light of the social and political implications that emerged from the project, Guarnaccia decided to start a new chapter, inviting 13 designers from different parts of the world to Kazakhstan. Collaborating with local designer Zhanna Ee and curator Vlad Sludskiy, he hosted the international designers’ group for a month to create horse saddles inspired by traditional nomadic culture. During this period, they collectively crafted a series of five horse saddles, collaborating with local crafters who delivered the production, introducing the designers to wood carving and leather embossing. The project’s essence lies in honoring Kazakhstan’s historical nomadic lifestyle, which faced a shift towards sedentary culture under Soviet conventions:“The Soviet Union meant ‘progress’ and the nomad way of living was no longer a profitable option, so the entire area of central Asia was forced to shift to a sedentary structure, with brand new cities, monuments, indoor markets, and highways. I was interested to explore and understand how this forced transition happened and what was left of the previous culture, in terms of aesthetics and habits.”³ At the end of the one-month workshop, the saddles were presented at Kazakhstan’s Kasteyev State Museum of Arts and later exhibited at Paris’ Union de la Jeunesse Internationale.

While colonization and cultural stereotypes might have been unexpected protagonists in the quest to portray each country, Guarnaccia’s project succeeded in opening a dialogue about identity, society, and a reality split into a global and local expression. Focussing on historical influences, local materials and craftsmanship, and on-site study and collaborations, he managed to display various societies and their people. He showed us how “form follows function” not only when it comes to chairs, but also when it comes to the organicity behind design evolution. Just as biodiversity contributes to the ecological diversity of the planet, the variety of design expressions enriches our collective cultural landscape.