SITTING IN SILENCE: THE CHAIR SHOW 01
September 18 - October 18
This fall, ZAROLAT is proud to present Sitting in Silence: The Chair Show 01: a landmark exhibition bringing together a collection of works that explore the chair as more than an object of use. From ancient thrones to modernist icons, the chair carries stories of authority, access, labor and care. It holds weight beyond its form: reflecting the systems we live within, the spaces we occupy, and the roles we play. In this exhibition, each chair becomes a space of reflection — a sculptural artifact, and a silent witness to the world we live in.
Two iconic pieces — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair and Eames’ Plywood LCM Chair, are in direct dialogue with chairs created in the present day, by a new generation of radical and thoughtful makers. The curation celebrates the mastery of craftsmanship while grappling with the silences that surround us: political, cultural, and human. Each piece invites a closer look — at its joinery, its material, its weight, challenging the limits of the familiar by rethinking structure, material, and presence, and offering a safe space to sit, think and listen.
In this exhibition, the chairs are quiet sculptures that speak to design’s potential to carry emotional, historical, and moral weight. It unfolds as a physical choreography: chairs placed carefully in space, in dialogue with one another, inviting viewers to move slowly and interact. The exhibition is grounded in material and craft but also offers humorous irony — showcasing works that function not only as a place to sit but sometimes as a light or even a musical instrument.
In Sitting in Silence, the chair is reimagined as a space of function, memory and protest. The act of sitting becomes a form of witness. Each carries weight — not only of the body, but of history, conflict, and silence itself, telling stories of shifting value from power and privilege to access and individuality. With this exhibition, the chair is given a voice, one that calls for reflection, innovation, and introspection.
SUBLIME STUDIOS
JISU HAN JUNG
MAITE SANTOS ALCOCER
GRAINE STUDIO
ZEYNEP ARKAN
ALEJANDRO AVAIKAN
ZAROLAT STUDIO
Request exhibition catalogue or press kit | gallery@zarolat.com