Obese Eames

The Xlounge by American artist/designer Mark Wentzel.

The conceptual weight of a design and the consumption of American culture are the focus of "XLounge" by Mark Wentzel. Wentzel explores the masterful design of the Eames Lounge Chair and it's significance today.  His interest in the design revolves around the gap between the public's endearment for old products and it's commitment to increasingly transitory "cutting edge" products.  Wentzel believes this gap to be fertile ground for creative expression.  XLounge takes on the responsibilities of it's time of creation, as Wentzel states all works should, by relying on the ingeniousness of the sleek Eames Lounge Chair design while displaying the disproportionate consumption of Americans.

Xlounge was shown at Project 4 Gallery's (Washington DC) Useless exhibition.

The Washington Post interviewed Mark and asked him this question about his work.

Why is your chair obese?
"The piece is obviously about consumption. It gives the opportunity to a particular viewer to grab their stomach and say, "Wow. That's me." I felt that this Eames chair was a crucial part of American iconography -- I think it really resonates with a wide range of people. And the standard structure of the Eames lounger was conducive to expanding its upholstery. I thought of using a La-Z-Boy. But you can't easily make a La-Z-Boy any fatter than it is. You can just make it bigger."