The Ikea Artist Residency is an experimental concept residency hosted at the Burbank Ikea, inviting selected artists of various backgrounds to participate in finding inspiration from Ikea, and then creating a unique piece of their choosing. Noelle took this opportunity to create a piece that spoke to her identity as a designer and her connection to the world of design that is very dear to her, at the same time using the skills and mediums she is best at.

Artist Statement: “I have come to learn that two things I love- spatial design and chess find a relationship in the excitement of having the power to create movement, functionality, and experiences with physical mass. They both require you to strategize and deeply understand yourself relative to the space you’re in.

I decided to create a dynamic chess board with each piece being tiny chairs from ikea’s collection. I spent hours on hours carefully 3D printing, assembling, and painting each tiny chair and board tile, and I loved every second of it. Come see my piece on view at Surely Work Studios in downtown LA from April 20 to may 11th.

To me, designing spaces is alot like playing chess, it’s instinctual- i make decisions based on my personal perspective, I make a plan that’s the most efficient by problem solving, but most importantly i have so much fun with it.

This project ties back to my journey as a designer, I studied industrial product design in school, my first job was as a 3D furniture design assistant, and now i currently work as a spatial and experiential designer. As I get older, I feel like I am always searching for that sense of childlike wonder and play in my craft.”