Chairwave: Igniting Connection in Riyadh's "Light Years Apart"
Noor Riyadh 2024, under the curation of Dr. Effat Abdullah Fadag and Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti, invited visitors to explore the theme "Light Years Apart," a poetic concept that bridged the earthly and the celestial. Within this luminous exhibition, VOUW's Chairwave offered a compelling exploration of human connection in public space.
VOUW, the Amsterdam-based design studio, operates with a "slowtech" philosophy, focusing on designs that foster genuine interaction. Inspired by Gerrit Rietveld's iconic Zig-Zag chair, Chairwave transforms the act of sitting into a shared social experience.
The installation's design is both simple and ingenious: when someone takes a seat, sensors prompt the adjacent chairs to unfold, extending an invitation for others to join. This mechanism intentionally discourages social distancing, encouraging spontaneous conversations among strangers. As noted by Canvas online, Chairwave exudes a "retro game show-style hotseat energy" and evokes an almost "anthropomorphic" quality, highlighting the installation's unique capacity to foster empathy.
Within the context of a festival that explored the vast distances between the earth and the stars, Chairwave grounded the experience in the tangible realm of human interaction. It serves as a reminder that technology can effectively connect people, encouraging a shift from screen-based engagement to meaningful, face-to-face exchanges.
Chairwave's presence at Noor Riyadh 2024 was more than just an installation; it was an invitation to connect, sparking social interaction within a luminous celebration of art and technology.