In the lobby of KMAC Museum, there’s a newly-installed sculpture by Hawaii-based artist Jeremy Dean.
“It’s 16 metal folding chairs that all join together to form an upright ring or cycle,” Dean said. “And at first glance you might think it’s all just one type of chair, but on closer inspection each one is a different color, different shape, different hue.”
Which, Dean said, is a way to subtly point to different human skin tones, and signify all people having a seat at the table — a topic that, until viewing work like Dean’s, you might not consider when looking at a household object like a chair.
That’s one of the goals of KMAC’s new exhibition, “In The Hot Seat,” which curator Joey Yates said explores the chair as both a design element and an art piece.
“We’re using a chair as a lens to explore lots of contemporary art — painting, sculpture, design, furniture,” he said.
As well as, Yates said, topics like community involvement, segregation, politics and inclusion.
The exhibit will feature the work of 33 artists, including Tanya Aguiñiga, David Iacovazzi-Pau, Simon Starling, KCJ Szwedzinski, Ole Ukena, Franz West, Robert Wilson and Tobias Wong.
“In The Hot Seat” opens on April 26 and will run through August 11.