CHINAMAN’S FILE ROCKING CHAIR

In his book ‘Attachment’, John Bowlby explores our innate human longing for movement, and not just any movement, but a movement that reminds us of the rock that we once felt whilst being walked by our mothers. Bowlby’s research shows that when a baby is rocked in a manner that emulates being walked by a mother, the baby will remain content.

Chinaman’s File was designed to simulate the rock experienced by a baby while being walked by its mother: each rock of the chair is designed to subject the user to the same arc and cadence that a baby experiences during its mother’s single step. To achieve this, a filmic study was conducted which analysed the movement of a mother carrying her child on her back as she walked; the motion that the baby experienced during one step was plotted and from this a rocking arc was extracted. Chinaman’s File was then designed to rock in a motion that emulates this arc of movement. In theory this action will produce a feeling of contentment that we have not felt since our infancy.

Dimensions – 1185 H x 985 W x 800mm D

Commissioner – Broached Commissions

Material – Manchurian Ash and Stainless Steel

Production – Beijing, China and Sydney, Australia

Makers – Naihan Li and Co and Adam Price

Public Collection – National Gallery of Victoria

Image Credit – Scottie Cameron