“I made this piece as part of a body of work where furniture pieces were stand-ins for the 'other.' In other words, interacting with piece is intended to stir some kind of emotion you may have when interacting with another person. In a deeply personal and intimate relationship, the benefits and drawbacks of being vulnerable and exposed to another person are both intimidating and comforting. Letting go of one's need to be right, have control, and not be questioned in a relationship can stir feelings of anxiety and discomfort. When two people have the courage to open up to this level of intimacy and invest in the happiness and safety of their partner's emotional state, a beautiful relationship is born—one of support, light-heartedness, and love. 'Surrender' is inspired by this aspect of being in a relationship.

"When making this cabinet I often thought about Garry Knox Bennett's famous 'Nail Cabinet,' and how that destructive gesture of hammering a giant nail into the front at the completion of his piece was poignant but perhaps not taken far enough. With 'Surrender,' I wanted to be sure I went as far as I could. To build a piece that fell apart purposefully as it was used was even a therapeutic experience for me. The repetitious nature of opening and closing a door in time creates a texture and a character on the slats that is in one sense damaging, but in another sense creating this piece's own history."—R.F.