Dan Ortiz Leizman Turns the Ubiquitous Monobloc Chair Into a Playable Instrument
The MONOBLOC HARPS project transforms ordinary plastic chairs into string instruments that invite tactile and auditory engagement.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Dan Ortiz Leizman turns ordinary plastic Monobloc chairs into musical instruments
- The MONOBLOC HARPS project started by accident using parts from a dismantled ukulele
- The instruments were featured at Sound Scene 2026 hosted by the Hirshhorn Museum
- The artist also creates collage series pairing the chair silhouette with vintage photography
The plastic monobloc chair is so deeply embedded in everyday life that people often overlook it completely. Found on porches, outside cafes, at family gatherings, and roadside eateries across continents, it is widely recognized not because of its creator, but because of how thoroughly it has blended into our daily routines.
For artist and educator Dan Ortiz Leizman, that extreme familiarity became the catalyst for the MONOBLOC HARPS project. By taking discarded plastic chairs and turning them into playable string instruments, the artist invites audiences to experience a familiar object through sound rather than its standard function.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The instrument was born almost by accident during a period of creative block, when Ortiz Leizman dismantled an old ukulele for parts and attached its strings to a monobloc chair. This improvised studio experiment quickly demonstrated that the chair could become an active object, resonating with the body rather than just supporting it.
Transforming ordinary, mass-produced objects into interactive art pieces bridges the gap between industrial design and conceptual sculpture. This approach challenges the traditional modernist dictum that form must strictly follow function, opening up new avenues for playful engagement and material reuse in contemporary art.
Beyond the harps, Ortiz Leizman’s collage series pairs the chair silhouette with vintage National Geographic photographs, featuring coral reefs and wildfire scenes within the familiar plastic outline, effectively turning the chair into a frame for archival storytelling.
Source: designboom
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