Russian Twins
Michael Malig with Meldreth Manor School, Cambridgeshire
Russian Twins consists of two stools, with angled rather than horizontal seats. This is because the stools are intended to support users laying on their chests/stomachs, rather than being designed to be sat on. The seats are covered with deep sheepskin pile, reminiscent of Russian fur hats.
The stools' legs are made of aluminium rods, with small feet at the bottom. Beneath each seat a net is suspended, holding round, pale yellow balls rather like large tennis balls.
The stools are designed to be laid on while playing a skittle game with the balls. Although they are specifically designed for disabled children, within the exhibition, non-disabled children have enjoyed playing skittles in this way.
On the floor next to the stools are six clockwork toys that look like miniature versions of them, as they each consist of a ball of sheepskin supported by four spindly wire legs. A further toy is suspended from the underside of one of the stools. These toys give the impression that the stools are alive, with the balls being the stools' eggs, and the toys being the hatched offspring.
© The City Gallery, Leicester and the artists: 2001
This site was built by Ju Gosling aka ju90 during an artist's residency at Oriel 31 in November 2001