I didn’t make Maypole. I discovered it in an antique store outside of Toronto and restored it as best I could. –GP
When Peteran was invited by the John Elder Gallery in New York to participate in a thematic show titled Naughty: Furniture Designed for Sex, he initially rejected the idea. But, upon further reflection, he changed his mind about the show: “that’s exactly where I should be.” The object that he contributed to the exhibition was Maypole: a found wooden table to which he added a system of brass parts. Two latching harnesses, something like the safety seats on a child’s swing set, hang from a central shaft. A missing foot has been replaced with a bit of brass and curious handles are placed at the tabletop’s corners. A third rope hangs, limp and frayed, from the central pole. While potentially a purpose-built device for sadomasochists, it is difficult to imagine exactly how the piece would work. In his typically roundabout way, Peteran met the brief of the exhibition. While the work is not “naughty” nor precisely “designed for sex,” Maypole is certainly about the collision of fear, pleasure, and intimacy.
