"Military" Chair 1923

Curator: This is Gerrit Thomas Rietveld's "Military" Chair. Note the stark red paint and the straightforward, almost brutal construction. Editor: The color is striking. It feels simultaneously inviting and authoritarian, like a warning sign. Curator: Rietveld often explored the possibilities of materials and mass production. The exposed joints and simple wooden planks suggest a concern with functionality and accessibility. Editor: The name “Military” and the chair's starkness speak to a larger dialogue about power, discipline, and even violence inherent within design choices. Who gets to sit, and who is left standing? Curator: It challenges our conventional ideas about furniture as purely decorative or luxurious objects, instead highlighting its potential as a product of labor and a tool for social change. Editor: Absolutely. It forces us to consider the politics embedded within everyday objects and our interactions with them. Curator: A fascinating piece indeed. Editor: One that truly sits with you.