This project began as the pandemic constrained us to our homes, altering our initial intentions for a public installation. Armed with an overwhelming amount of framing timber and an ad-hoc collection of tools, we hand-crafted 25 almost-chairs in a garage. Like tradies on a smoko piecing together a seat for lunch, we relished in the joy of making something unconventional from material that would have otherwise been inside a wall. We learnt as we made, experimenting with different ways of assembling the timber and embracing unintended amalgamations. Each chair is unique but bonded by their origin in a process of change and improvisation with limited means.

As lockdowns eased, they explored Tamaki Makaurau, and Late Night Art 2022 saw hundreds of strangers bond over the shared experience of crafting their own chair from bits of wood. Today, the chairs lead new lives in adopted homes around the city, occasionally reuniting to reminisce and share stories of separate journeys.