The conceptual idea - Why a sofa?

A couch is a location of comfort, of leisure, of entertainment, of reading, watching television, and of erotics. It stands for a home, for therapy and for use of the media.

When a sofa leaves its familiar surroundings, “new images” emerge. It becomes “ready made” as defined by Marcel Duchamp. An industrially manufactured object leaves its traditional functional environment and appears in a new, surprising context, out of place so to speak. This process opens up new horizons on well-known subjects, people, typologies and pictures.

The famous Red Couch lends the project a format with an unmistakable look. Something to hold on to, a forum and a common denominator for all the different people in the world.

Over time the observer identifies himself with the Universal Couch. It becomes something trusted and fulfils the desire for constancy.

“Where is the Couch now? Who is sitting on it?”

By now almost 600 humans have taken a seat on Wackerbarth’s Red Couch worldwide.