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Does someone really think that would be comfortable?

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I can't figure out if this chair is racist?

Not racist--just incredibly insensitive and idiotic. Why not call it mesh chair? Instead it has to be Afro Chair. Urgh.

Ouch. And I am not happy with the name either.

What would be considered racist is the "not" comment - saying, "Someone needs to straighten out that afro. Not Hot."

Personally, I think many people are overly sensitive, but these days it is never acceptable to make a statement alluding to "afro" hair being bad or ugly and straight(ened) hair being good or pretty.


The chair and its name, assuming that the designer means it to be beautiful, isn't racist.

Ouch, pinchy

Asthetically, I think it's neat looking... Then again, I love the look of real afros too :-)

I don't think it's racist. The "not" comment is, though...

I DO suspect it's hideously uncomforable... not because of the rings (I suspect the way they're woven might make the chair comfortably springy), but because it is super-cold metal. It would need a pad or blanket to warm it up...

Gosh, I'll bet you could get your bath tub really clean with this number!

ow ow ow

I honestly did not believe it was racist to mention straightening out any hairstyle, since I see hair straightening salons here in LA's black neighborhoods throughout. My friends straighten their hair without mention of any political or social implications, as originally the "not" was written. As someone who grew up wanting the same hair type as my black classmates (I'm asian, so it was a hopeless dream), I'm taken aback with the racist charges. I'd admit I could have more carefully worded the choice (I was thinking mostly about the spring shape of the chair, not anyone's hairstyle), but calling someone or something a "racist" seems a bit rough. Especially since I have always been fond of afros my whole life and their political symbolism (alongside acknowledging their also just part of pop culture on a superficial sense level), growing up with a rainbow coalition of friends. I apologize for the poor wording, but I hope to communicate I did not post this with any intentional racist motivations.

Why is Afro racist? Its just a hairstyle...

I can see this in a art gallery space. I think the idea is clever and even more clever it these binder rings were recycled.

Would the first offended African-American reader please stand up?

Seriously. Using the word "afro" is not racist or derogatory. As Gregory points out, straightening is a big business in black neighborhoods. And the fact is, the chair does look like a 'fro. In a good way. But I still wouldn't want to sit on it, especially in bare legs or tights!

I think the idea is neat- I've seen a mass of binder rings made into a psuedo afro and it was pretty kicking, and the material itself has all kinds of interesting sculptural properties.

My issue is that the execution is off- if you are going to call something afro doesn't it need to be that shape? It's all tucked in, not at all afro shape. I mean, isn't the Ball chair by Eero Aarnio more in the shape of an afro than this chair? I'd call this chair more of a Pointy Haired Boss Dilbert style.

As a black person who has been called 'brillo-head' by various louts--comparing a wire made note book binder chair to an 'afro' texture is offensive.

And been told that we are overly sensitive or PC when we raise why we are offended doesn't help also.

Gregory--no one is calling you a racist--just that you need to be more sensitive especially when you are apparently showing your admiration.

halle309: that's fair enough of a criticism and remark, and I thank you for pointing out your personal experience that puts things into perspective and my own need to be more sensitive. My naivety is due in part do to the openness of my friendships where race is not so much an issue, and our differences are seen as positives, both admired and joked about. It's sometimes jarring, but important, to be reminded that words and names have importance and meaning beyond our personal experiences (but that can go both ways, so I hope people will give others the benefit of the doubt before charging others with serious labels of "racist" or "racism"). Sometimes a chair is not just a chair, and I'll be sure to note that from now on.

Gregory, thank you for being able to take criticism thoughtfully. It's a rare skill these days.

Im black and I'm not offended. But I can not speak for the offended people because i do not have an afro. I am sure people with afros could take great offense to a chair that mocks there choice of hairdo. As soon as they design the bald mans chair I will be freakin pissed!!!

I find it offensive and I don't have an afro but I did grow up hearing the phrase "brillo-head". I guess when your design is mediocre you'll try anything to get it noticed.

Call it what you will ( and I do find the name dubious at best ), it's another example of dumb design. It does not pass the first test that a chair must pass: can I sit on it and be comfortable?

Also, the post is poorly written (copied largely verbatim from the text in The Contemporist, grammatical errors and all) and it does not provide any context for this piece. OK, I see that it was made by a Korean named Yangsoo Pyo. But is it meant for mass production? Is it supposed to be functional or is it pure "art" ?

A failure on all counts.

mirandabee: wouldn't it be fair to save judgment about comfort once and only if you sat upon it? I've been surprised on occasion by certain seating solutions that appears uncomfortable at first glance, but end up being quite comfy once I physically sat on it. Wouldn't calling the chair "dumb" and uncomfortable be akin to looking at photo of a recipe and automatically reporting that it tastes awful without tasting it? I personally am not fond of the aesthetic impression the chair leaves, but I do find it an interesting study of material use, thus my interest in sharing.

And yes, the designer's description was copied verbatim intentionally. Hot or not posts don't always include full descriptions (they've always been immediate impression surveys of opinion), but I though the designer's own words would help describe the intentions behind it, even if his English isn't perfect.

it looks like a gigantic brillo pad, and regardless of how comfortable it IS I'd be unlikely to sit in it because it looks so UNcomfy.

This chair seems to make people angry. This chair should be called the the angry chair. I actually don't like this chair but I'm not angry.

Just for one second imagine body hair trapped in the chair... specially when it's still attached to you......

This is concept is in poor taste on so many levels. The name, the design, the materials. I agree with leadingedge...the design is indeed medicore and needed some controversy to get noticed. And it seems that insulting a group of people through design, fashion (French Vogue magazine), or even comedy is "in" way of getting noticed.

yikes.

My parents are Indian, I was born in Germany, lived in France, before moving to Quebec. I've faced racism all of my life, especially now since I'm living/studying in Taiwan.

As I haven't grown up in the US, I'm probably missing something here, as most of the time, I was the only non-Caucasian in classes and schools.

From my perspective, I'm pretty sure that not just African-American people can have afros. In fact, a few of my Caucasian and Asian friends have some.

Since AT is mainly a US-based site, I guess there could be a negative connotation to anyone who had a 'fro as a child and was teased about it by Caucasian classmates.

I do believe that the designer shouldn't have used this name, but I think that Greg just reported on an interesting product, without any racial or political intent.

Personally, I think that this chair would be extremely uncomfortable, but it looks interesting.

Gregory, you are assuming I have never sat in this chair.