ahn kihyun’s playfully performative chair is intersected by a gimbal structure to balance eggs

halfway serious series revitalizes the mundane act of sitting

Ahn Kihyun utilizes everyday objects to create furniture that functions as a form of performance, seamlessly integrating storytelling into daily life. Halfway Serious is designed to continuously refresh the mundane act of sitting by devising a wooden chair that utilizes a gimbal structure to maintain balance and prevent dropping eggs.

For the designer, by proposing anxiety-inducing experiences different from traditional furniture usage, its use can become an act akin to a ritual or performance. As such, the series emphasizes active interaction with the object, encouraging the specific action of balancing while proposing a more conscious experience for the user.

all images courtesy of Ahn Kihyun

ahn kihyun infuses everyday objects with playful narratives

Across Ahn Kihyun’s work, everyday objects serve as symbols to convey playful new narratives when infused with functional design. These objects, although functioning as props without accompanying films, in essence, effectively drive the embedded story and enhance the user’s experience through direct involvement with the artwork.

The Halfway Serious series invites the user to take a seat and engage in a balancing act to preserve the eggs perched at either end. ‘Although two eggs placed on the furniture look like a single island, everyday objects are integrated into the designs, acting as metaphors to express the intended story,’ shares the designer.

With his practice, the Korean designer is on a mission to find cinematic stories in ordinary objects, believing that uncovering these narratives can provide new ways to enrich and add deeper meaning to our daily lives. With his experimental approach, often novel and unconventional, can be categorized as ‘anti-furniture’ or ‘alternative furniture.’ He has participated in several design exhibitions in Korea.

Ahn Kihyun proposes an experimental approach to furniture, where use can become an act akin to a performance

the Halfway Serious series invites the user to take a seat and engage in a balancing act

the chair utilizes a gimbal structure to maintain balance and prevent dropping the eggs at either end

project info:

name: Halfway Serious
designer: Ahn Kihyun

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom