Stool 1900 - 1950

This Stool, made by Bozo, is here in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The stool has been so thoughtfully and skillfully carved – each cut seems to carry a story, a rhythm, almost like the stool itself is breathing. Look at the surface, the way the lines run in bands around the body and form a circle on the top, these marks are more than just decoration. Feel how the material is textured, the way the light catches on each groove and ridge. Think about the hand that made these marks, the time, the care. Notice that the triangle patterns are near the top, and little square boxes near the bottom – like a story being told in shapes. This stool reminds me of the work of Ree Morton, where she used to embrace this kind of storytelling through pattern, material and form. But this stool is its own thing. It's about a conversation between the maker and the material, an ongoing dialogue that we're now invited into. It doesn't have fixed meaning, it's alive and invites us to bring our own experiences to it.