To construct Matriarch, Ryan repeatedly measured himself against the wood, gradually carving his silhouette into the chair through gestures reminiscent of a child marking their height (adorable)!
The work is a record of imprint: its North American White Ash is critically endangered by invasive beetles, while its charred surface draws from a traditional method of protecting wood from insects. The chair, both literally and conceptually, is an interface between material and intrusion.
