A workshop for the building of a chair by the person who will use it

A workshop for the building of a chair by the person who will use it involves the construction of the 'Sedia Q' chair from Enzo Mari’s Autoprogettazione series of furniture pieces on the 50th anniversary of Autoprogettazione. The chairs will be assembled from rough-sawn timber sections using only a hammer and nails as was the original intention.

Each ticket will allow participants to construct an individual chair. You will be provided all materials (pre-cut to size), instructions and tools needed to assemble the chair. At the conclusion of the workshop the chair will be yours to keep. The workshop is open to people of all levels of experience. You may participate as an individual or in groups of up to 3, with one required ticket per chair.

The workshop will be run in an open and collaborative way in the Tin Shed's Gallery, asking participants to take an active role in interpreting, and implementing Mari's instructions. We will introduce you to Mari's work, provide some basic woodworking tips and delve into the systems and ideas at play in Autoprogettazione.

Through discussion, material exploration and the act of making, the group will uncover their own insights and understanding of fabrication processes through the lens of Mari’s work. The workshop will be run by Stephen & Michelle of Complete Thought Studio.

50 years ago, Enzo Mari created Autoprogettazione, showcasing a series of furniture pieces constructed from rough sawn timber and assembled with nails. These were shown with freely available instructions for individuals to build these furniture pieces themselves.

Autoprogettazione was a counterpoint to the American DIY trend of arriving at a complete product through the fewest, simplest steps. Each item was designed such that their fabrication would give the maker insight into the world of objects around them. In a society where people were becoming more and more detached from manufacturing processes, Mari hoped to give a broad audience the tools to take a more critical eye to the objects in their everyday life.

This workshop forms part of a programme of events related to the exhibition 'Replica Autoprogettazione' on show at the Tin Sheds Gallery from 1st of August - 27th of September 2024.