Jeff Weber

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ARTIST’S STATEMENT

‘SWAMPED” By Jeff Weber

In deciding what to do with this Miami Marine Stadium chair, I was intrigued by the significant corrosion of the metal frame, the peeling paint, and the graffiti left by “street artists.” It reminded me of how quickly items left unattended in Miami succumb to the powerful pull of entropy in the South Florida environment, both natural and human. Taking this process a bit further, I decorated the chair with whimsical icons of Florida coastal and fresh water wetlands, ranging from alligators and crocodiles to snakes and bromeliads. I left the graffiti intact, as it can be seen as part of the deterioration cycle, but I clear-varnished the entire seat to preserve it in the midst of its symbolic natural reclamation. The interesting design history of the seat can be seen in its original blue paint, the seat number, and the rather elegant curves of the supporting structure.  In its final form, the entire assemblage remains usable, yet it teeters on the edge of a “return to the wild.”