Mauricio Lara Eguiluz, Chac Seat, 2005. Polyurethane foam; 20 x 31 2/5 x 17 ¾". Denver Art Museum: Funds from Alianza de las Artes Americanas and Design Council of the Denver Art Museum.

This object is currently on view

height: 20 in, 50.8 cm; length: 31 2/5 in, 79.756 cm; width: 17 3/4 in, 45.0850 cm

Architecture and Design

Architecture and Design-Latin American Art

Mauricio Lara Eguiluz
Mexican, born 1968
Chac Seat
2005
Polyurethane foam
Funds from Alianza de las Artes Americanas and Design Council of the Denver Art Museum, 2017.39

The Chac-Seat was designed in 2005 for the Second Biennial of Latin American Design in Amsterdam. It is inspired by the sculpture of Chac Mool, a particular type of Mesoamerican pre-Hispanic sculpture that depicts a reclining figure with its knees bent and its head turned 90 degrees to the front, supporting itself on its elbows. These figures symbolized slain warriors or captives carrying offerings to the gods.

Like other contemporary Mexican designers, in the search for national identity for his products Lara draws influence from the lines and shapes of ancient artifacts. Regarding this project he mentions that, “I was looking for a representative and unique element of some of the most emblematic pre-Hispanic cultures of our country, I found the Mayan god Chac-Mool. Its role as a messenger between the gods and humans gave me the silhouette to create the unique design of this seat.”

Jorge Rivas 2017

 

 

Purchased January 2017 from the designer by the Denver Art Museum.