It is common practice for politicians to announce their various contributions and grand gestures to society through various methods of communication with thenintention of monumentalising these contributions. During the 2021 floods in Peninsula Malaysia, there was a delay in aid from the government which caused an uproar from the public. Politicians responded by visiting the affected areas with mobs of photographers, boxes of general supplies printed with faces of said

politicians and some even went the extra mile of holding press conferences to announce their aid. These contributions begin with the words “Sumbangan Ikhlas” which literally translates to “Sincere Contributions/Donations”. As one ponders the sincerity of these contributions, it is important to note that these contributions are attempts at imposing a sense of everlasting gratitude towards these public figures. The governed should never forget the amount of effort that is spent on elevating the quality of their lives. This method of constantly requiring recognition of certain contributions has influenced the behaviour of those further down the line. These lesser individuals that are vying for new contracts and other benefits to gain, use these methods to ensure that their contributions are recognised as they climb their way up to the heavens of the social and political elite, to wine and dine themselves while personifying the loyal servant character.

I have chosen the modern banquet chair wrapped in Linoleum with text as a vehicle to capture this “do not forget” syndrome. The chairs itself is an evolution of the Chiavari chair, developed in 1807 by an Italian cabinet maker from the city of Chiavari named Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi through the patronage of a wealthy aristocrat who desired a simple, functional seat based on an Empire Chair that was purchased from Paris. I believe these banquet chairs are a symbol throughout history of the many contributions of the social elite to the general public.