Dasha Zhukova on Controversal Chair!

Our post of Allen Jones’ “Chair” was particularly popular yesterday and I was wondering why! It was only late last night, when I was googling, that I got my answer.

Allen Jones’ Chair

Apparently the Allen Jones “Chair” has a cousin. There is a very lifelike “chair” which is an artwork by a Norwegian artist, Bjarne Melgaard.  According to news articles, this chair would probably from now on be called “ the Racist Chair“.

Apparently the racist chair is just one of Melgaard’s many works reinterpreting previous work of other artists.  The white mannequin in Allen Jones’ chair was now of that of a black woman in Melgaard chair.

The real controversy which was trending was a photo of the beautiful  girlfriend of a Russian billionaire  who was sitting nonchalantly on the Racist Chair.  It was really unfortunate that the photo was published on the birth anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Poor Dasha Zhukova, the mother to two of the children & wife of Chelsea Football Club owner, Roman Abramovich, had to apologise for the blunder.

Do you think the chair is racist?  Why is this chair deemed racist and yet Allen Jones’ sculpted chair ‘ wasn’t?!!!

As a woman, I do find both chairs offensive because they are degrading to womanhood. Women are not a piece of furniture!!!

I must say I was surprised that Dasha was quite happy being photographed sitting on the Racist Chair; Dasha may not be racist,  but it looks like she has more money than sense! 🙁

Allen Jones “Chair” 1969

Furniture  using  female mannequins is not new. Demonstrating female subjugation  and  hmm.. 70s sexism, are the scenes in the cult and iconic movie made in 1971, A Clockwork Orange. The movie is based on the dystopian novel  of the same name by award-winning writer Anthony Burgess. Set in the not too distant future, the scenes show a gang (called Droogs) of criminally minded teens lounging in  bar where the furniture is made in the shape of naked women.

A Clockwork Orange’s Korova Milk Bar