The Empty Chair

source: aboutdesignfr

CHAISE VIDE GRAND SYMBOLE
Cette Empty Chair symbolise l’absence du militant chinois Liu Xiaobo lors de la remise de son prix Nobel de la Paix en 2010 : cet écrivain est emprisonné depuis deux ans en Chine et fait figure de symbole de la lutte pour le respect des Droits de l’Homme dans son pays. C’est toute cette histoire que raconte l’incroyable chaise dessinée par Maarten Baas qui fait plus de cinq mètres de haut et va gratter le ciel. Caractéristique du travail du designer, cette chaise vide se pare de noir pour signifier la gravité de la situation : Empty Chair est construite sur le même principe que la série Clay, comprenez terre, famille de chaises conçues en résine synthétique qui constitue l’habillage d’un squelette en acier. Chaque pièce est unique et modelée à la main. C’est justement cette main de l’homme qui importe ici : Maarten Baas crée une chaise dédiée à Liu Xiabo, sorte d’échelle imparfaite qui file vers le ciel, dont l’équilibre semble légèrement instable. Une chaise monument, qui se voit de loin, pour ne pas oublier…
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source: maartenbaas

For the campaign “The Empty Chair”, Maarten Baas made the symbolic empty chair, to support Amnesty in their fight for freedom of expression. Dr. Liu Xiaobo was convicted for his role in drafting “Charter 08”, a proposal for legal and political reform in China. Liu Xiaobo was the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, but during the cermony his chair remained empty, as he was sentenced to a 11 years imprisonment. “The empty chair” is a symbol for Liu and many others who’re in jail for expressing their opinion.

Since 2005 there’s studio “Baas & den Herder”. That’s where all new products of Maarten are developed and most products from the collection are being produced. In 2009, Bas den Herder and Maarten Baas moved the studio to a farm near ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in the south of Holland. The barn is now turned into a workshop, where the production of protoypes and small editions takes place. In 2012, Bas den Herder started “Den Herder Production House” in which other designer’s products are being produced as well.
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source: designboom

to honor chinese nobel peace prize winner liu xiaobo, amnesty international invited dutch designer maarten baas
to create a piece to support their campaign against the increased suppression of writers, journalists, artists and activists.
the result is ‘the empty chair’, a seat whose ladder back towers about five meters tall – a kind of metaphor of
reaching for the sky, and that freedom of thought and speech is important for all.
baas’ chair design stands as a symbol for the chair that liu xiaobo did not sit in during the nobel prize awards ceremony back in 2010,
as he is currently serving an 11 year imprisonment for ‘undermining the state’.
‘the empty chair’ will be presented during the 50th anniversary of amnesty international on may 28th, 2011
in pakhuis de zwijger, amsterdam.
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source: dezeen

The Empty Chair by Maarten Baas for Amnesty International
Dutch designer Maarten Baas designed this chair with a ladder-back reaching into the sky for human rights charity Amnesty International.

The name of the five-metre design, The Empty Chair, refers to Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo who was unable to receive the prize in person last year as he had been imprisoned.

On invitation of Amnesty International, and in honor of the Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, Maarten Baas has designed The Empty Chair.

Amnesty International invited Maarten Baas to design a piece to support their campaign against the increased suppression of writers, journalists, artists and activists.

In 2010 Liu Xiaobo was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for his peaceful battle for fundamental human rights. Liu Xiaobo could not accept the prize in person, because he was in jail serving a 11 year imprisonment for ‘undermining of the state’.

Therefore, The Empty Chair of Liu Xiaobo became a symbol for repression.

The Empty Chair, designed by Maarten Baas is about five meters tall and will be presented during the 50th anniversary of Amnesty International on May 28, 2011 in Pakhuis De Zwijger in Amsterdam.
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source: nederlandsdesign

Maarten Baas ontwierp de Empty chair in 2011 voor Amnesty International. De Empty chair (lege stoel), staat symbool voor de lege stoel van Liu Xiaobo bij de uitreiking van de Nobelprijs voor de vrede in 2010 in Oslo. De Chinese dissident kon zijn prijs niet zelf ophalen omdat hij een celstraf van 11 jaar uitzit. De Empty chair is 5 meter hoog. Het is natuurlijk niet alleen een lege stoel, maar ook een symbolische trap naar de hemel. Maarten Baas en Amnesty hebben met de Empty chair bereikt wat ze wilden, namelijk extra aandacht voor de mensenrechten in China. Het ontwerp van de Empty chair is natuurlijk geweldig, maar dat kan je wel aan Maarten Baas overlaten. Ik denk dat Baas dezelfde techniek heeft gebruik als dat hij ook op zijn Clay furniture heeft toegepast, maar dat heb ik verder nergens kunnen terugvinden. Het is eigenlijk geen design meubel, maar een kunstwerk.
Extra informatie:
De Empty chair is ook als speld uitgebracht. De speld is onder andere geschonken aan enkele Nederlandse schrijvers die vlak na de uitreiking van de Nobelprijs deelnamen aan een boekenbeurs in Beijing. Hij veroorzaakte veel ophef doordat schrijvers het weigerden te dragen of zelfs zouden hebben weggegooid (Herman Koch).
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source: diariodesign

Maarten Baas ha creado una silla para apoyar la campaña de Amnistía Internacional contra la creciente represión de escritores, periodistas, artistas y activistas.
Conoce más sobre el diseñador Maarten Bass en diarioDESIGN.

En 2010, Liu Xiaobo fue premiado con el Nobel de la Paz “por su batalla no violenta por los derechos humanos”, premio que no pudo recoger en persona porque está en prisión por “faltar al respeto al Estado”. La Empty Chair, silla vacía, es un homenaje al intelectual chino, en referencia al asiento que no pudo ocupar en la gala celebrada el 8 de octubre de 2010 en el Ayuntamiento de Oslo, Noruega. Su respaldo es una escalera de mano que apunta al cielo, de cinco metros de altura.

La presentación en sociedad de la Empty Chair ha sido en la conmemoración del 50 Aniversario de Amnistía Internacional, en Pakhuis De Zwijger, Amsterdam, y su diseño estará pronto disponible en la forma de un exclusivo alfiler.
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source: kumi60241tumblr

2010년도 노벨평화상 시상식장. 그러나 수상자 류 샤오보(Liu Xiaobo)의 자리는 비어 있었다. ‘08 헌장(Chapter 08)’ 선언을 주도했다는 이유로, 2009년 중국 법원은 국가권력 전복선동죄로 류 샤오보에게 11년의 징역형을 선고하여 수감했다. 그리하여 평화상 증서는 주인 없는 빈 의자에 놓여져야 했고, 이 부재는 류 샤오보가 처한 현실을 소리 없이 웅변했다.

국제 인권단체 앰네스티(Amnesty International)가 류 샤오보를 위해 ‘빈 의자(The Empty Chair)’ 캠페인을 전개한다. 이를 위해 디자이너 마르텐 바스(Maarten Baas)가 합류, 하늘에 닿을 듯 키 큰 의자를 만들어냈다. 류 샤오보는 물론, 또 그처럼 자유를 위해 투쟁한 수많은 사람들, 그리고 지난 50년 동안 그들의 친구로서 표현의 자유를 수호해 온 앰네스티를 위한 작품이기도 하다. 마르텐 바스의 ‘빈 의자’는 5월 28일, 암스테르담에서 공개된다.