Chair/table---Richard Artschwaper

At first glance of this work, my eyes were attracted by the fancy combination of a wood table and an exclamatory mark. This work is full of contrasts.

First, the representational table and chair seems come from our daily life without any art work, although there is a little bit of transformation which is difficult to be detected. However, right on the table stands an exclamatory mark, breaking this kind of illusion. It is this absolute abstract mark that pulls the viewers back to the appreciation of is art work. Why this mark is so powerful? The answer should be it comes from textual system which is totally different from the daily life experience.

Also, the shapes and scales make the sense of contrast more dramatically. The artist changes the proportion of the table, thicken the leg and widen the tabletop. All of those efforts are to make the table more stable and strong. On the other hand, above the table, the floating black mark looks more tiny and light. If the whole work is a metaphor of symphony, then the table should be the part of grave bass, and the black mark is the harsh horn.