sonya hurtado

E5 5IT

This project began one early autumn morning, around 7am, when I came across a pink chair in the middle of Hackney Marshes. Everything was still green and full, the sun had just risen, and the light was magical. I was on my bike and had to stop—it felt like the chair demanded to be seen. Its presence sparked questions: How did you get here? Who brought you? Why?

Since then, I’ve encountered more chairs, scattered across Hackney—on pavements, in alleys, at the edge of fields. Always out of place, yet somehow perfectly composed. I never move them. I simply observe—circling them on foot or by bike—seeking the right perspective. Each feels like an impromptu installation, as if carefully arranged by an unseen hand. Sometimes, the colours echo the surroundings; other times, it’s the shadows cast by a street sign or a wall that give the scene its quiet power.

Some chairs seem inviting, almost too much so—I often feel tempted to sit, but I hold back, imagining someone invisible already occupying that space. Many look worn, others surprisingly pristine. I can’t help but think about the lives these objects have lived. A chair isn’t just a chair—it becomes a proxy for its owner, carrying traces of comfort, neglect, joy, or violence. Some images make me anxious, as if I’ve stumbled on a story too heavy to hold.

Hackney has this beautiful culture of leaving unwanted items on the street—trusting they’ll find new purpose. These chairs once served someone. Now, they sit between past and future.

So I invite you to 5IT—if only with your eyes—and imagine who once did, and who might again.