For the SingaPlural exhibition, we were invited to reinterpret the iconic Kopitiam chair. Using parts from another chair, we transformed it into a three-legged seat, with the third leg styled like a walking stick. The aim was to personify it as an elderly man in need of a break—his retirement is long overdue.

“I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the ‘Kopitiam’ Chair. Unfortunately, it is one of the most clichéd props used by cafés and restaurants seeking an instant shot of old-world charm. From a practical point of view, it is heavy, cumbersome, drags noisily across the floor and cannot be stacked. There are definitely better and ‘younger’ chairs out there that could replace it. My wish is for the Elderly Chair to be left to enjoy his retirement in peace.”

Larry Peh