Episode 30 of Why Make? is a Bonus Make! We discuss with Michael Puryear the evolution and creation of his Dan chair, now a part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

From the harvesting of the wood to the markings on the legs every inch of this chair is a narrative embedded with deep historical and cultural meaning. An excellent article about this piece came out in the April 2019 issue of American Craft.

Lets take a deep dive into the Dan chair Micheal’s interpretation of a classic African low chair

Here is Michael’s artist statement about the Dan chair…

The opportunity to work with woods supplied by Historical Woods of America, specifically poplar from Monticello and pecan from Mt. Vernon from trees planted by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, provided me with the opportunity to acknowledge and honor the contributions of African American slaves to this country. Like my own ancestry this heritage began before the founding of the United States. African Americans have fought with honor and loyalty in every war of our nation. They have significantly contributed economically, socially, culturally and politically to American culture.

The Dan Chair is an expression of my pride in being a descendant of slaves. It is an interpretation of a style of chair found among peoples of what was historically known as the Slave Coast of West Africa. One of those people are the Dan.

The chair symbolizes the nobility of American slaves and the ukibori, a technique of producing raised patterns in wood, on the legs represents the scars of bondage.

The Dan Chair has been acquired by the Smithsonian's Museum of African-American History & Culture.

MICHAEL PURYEAR