What is it about an abnormally large household object that intrigues us? My family photo albums are filled with photographs of my sister and I posed in front of the oversized animal sculptures that dot the roadsides of Northern Ontario, and on Facebook I am regularly treated to random holiday snaps featuring extra-large chairs and other such nonsensical furniture items. The sight of absurdly large furnishing seems to make even the most staid and sensible person a little wacky, striking ridiculous poses in full public view for no particular reason.
On a visit to Portugal last year we visited the light house at Cabo de São Vicente, the southwesternmost point of the country, and for no particular reason they had installed a rather absurd oversized chair, assumedly for the delight and delectation of the site’s visitors. There was absolutely no explanation for the huge chair, nor did it make any obvious cultural sense. Nevertheless, my mom and I crawled on top (in a very elegant manner I might add) to have our photo taken. We even put some change in the box for the pleasure of the experience.
The existence of this chair, as well as my need to mount it, have baffled me ever since.
…..weird…..
What a strange world we live in.
