Bosun’s chair (The Rocking Chair of Midshipman William Urukh)

Medium: Kinetic sculpture  /installation, modified ready-made (Wooden rocking chair, brass Beaufort scale, velvet)

The Story Behind the Artwork

After retiring from the British Royal Navy, senior midshipman William Urukh modified his old rocking chair to measure a different kind of storm—the power of his own memories. He attached a custom brass plate to the frame, shaped like the Beaufort wind force scale, with a moving slider. The mechanics are simple: as you rock back and forth, diving deeper into nostalgia, the slider moves up. But the chair comes with a strict warning: "Use with care! When the scale reaches 12, you will tip over and fall overboard."

• Memories as a Storm: This chair transforms a cozy piece of furniture into a dangerous navigation tool. It shows that nostalgia is not a peaceful emotion, but a violent ocean storm. The past has the physical power to pull us in and submerge us completely.
• The Danger of Lost Control: The warning about "falling overboard" introduces a sharp element of dark humor. It taps directly into the universal human fear of losing balance, getting trapped in the past, and drowning in our own thoughts.
• The Visual Collision: The artwork is built on a direct contrast between comfort and danger. The warm, inviting terracotta velvet and bright blue wood clash with the brass marine clinometer. It forces the viewer to feel the psychological risk of a simple physical movement.