What’s Up With Those Chairs? Company | E at Atlas INTERSECTIONS by Ashayla Byrd

A sculpture of grey office chairs sits piled at the center of the Sprenger Theater; the curtains are wide open. Their arrangement, though intentional, looks haphazard and disheveled. The stark, white spotlight shining down on them creates an eerie feeling, at least for me. The pile is flanked by two handheld, industrial lights. I enter this experience feeling intrigued. Given the job market and the political sphere, the sight of more than two desk chairs in any locality just skeeves me out. I know that I am about to witness Company | E, but what’s the deal with these chairs?