Infrastruktur by Nicole Wermers

The shortlist for the Turner prize 2015 was revealed this month and London-based, German-born artist Nicole Wermers was among the nominees. Her art installation, Infrastruktur, was originally on view at contemporary art gallery Herald St in London. Featuring vintage fur coats permanently sewn onto the backs of modernist chairs, the installation speaks to social class, material values, and our tendency to judge by appearances. The chairs were based on a 1928 model by architect and designer Marcel Breuer for German manufacturer Thonet. Wermer constructed her iteration with steel tubing, upholstery, silk and velvet. Combining furniture design and fashion, the installation is said to be a nod to historic collaborations between design greats such as Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, and Eileen Grey and Le Corbusier. The winner of the prestigious British art award will be announced on December 7, 2015.