Sinmi Stool (Prototype)

This experimental work, made of modern materials including bent plywood and birch laminations, is designed not just for sitting but for perching as well. It was conceived outside of the narrow canon of design yet embedded in Norman Teague’s search for inspiration and his self-identification as an African American designer and artist in Chicago. The object’s title Sinmi means “to relax” in Yoruba. This stool design stemmed from Teague’s interest in informal seating, particularly in the relaxed positions people assume in comfortable settings, such as leaning on the back of a chair or car or straddling the edge of a sofa. Teague acknowledges users’ apprehension at engaging with his unusual work. He observes that they often ask, “Am I doing this right?" He finds, however, that people quickly become comfortable with Sinmi, just as they do with new relationships.