Do Not Sit

I know that in all likelihood, this chair is broken in some way… and the sign is a warning, an attempt to prevent injury.

But seeing it, I couldn’t help thinking it was some kind of test. I imagined one of these scenes in fairy tales, where children walk by a bowl of candy and a note, imploring them not to eat any.

The sign looked like a dare. And made me think “You’re not the boss of me. I’ll sit where I want!”

I also had the brief thought that this was some random, errant art installation – mostly due to me seeing the Max Lamb: Exercises in Seating exhibit at the Art Institute.

I was chuckling a lot to myself, as I was here looking at this.

There were a few folks in an open office nearby – probably wondering what that strange guy was doing, standing alone, laughing to himself, and wondering why he was taking a picture of a broken chair. This town is full of weirdos.

Related:
A Vacation Day in Chicago: Visiting the MCA, Art Institute, and Wandering Downtown