Paperweight for a Bureaucrat by Nader G. Vakili

Paperweight for a Bureaucrat

1972
Vietnamese Teak on black-painted table with accessories
53"H x 38"W x 22"D

On my travels as a plant pathologist throughout the developing world in the 1950’s and 1960’s, I became so frustrated with the amount of bureaucracy. In even the smallest, poorest of towns, there would be an official behind his desk, with multiple forms to fill out. So, I built a rickety table and chair from crating lumber, painted it black, supplied a large feather pen, an ink pot, and a pad of paper – and carved a paperweight up to the task.