Grant Featherston's Expo Mark II Sound Chair

Grant Featherston (Australian, 1922-1995) Expo Mark II sound chair, design introduced 1967, curved high back and body of fibreglass and expanded rigid polystyrene, upholstered in wool and polyurethane, paper and fabric manufacturer's labels 113.5 cm high. History: Grant and Mary Featherston's Talking Chair was commissioned by Robin Boyd as seating for the Australian Pavilion at Expo '67, Montreal, Canada. Two hundred and forty examples were produced, each housing sound equipment within its base, which transmitted to the sitter through stereo earphones a prepared programme, in French and English, on various aspects of Australian culture. While the Talking chair was later introduced to the domestic market in an adapted form, the present chair is one of a limited number of sound chairs produced for the domestic market between 1967-1970. Reference: Terence Lane, Featherston chairs, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1988 p.54-55