Finnegan Shannon
b. 1989, Berkeley, CA; lives and works in New York, NY
Fabrication by UVA Cabinet Shop
Do you want us here or not (Fralin), 2025 - ongoing
MDO plywood and lacquer
Museum purchase, 2025.4
Take a seat. What if an artwork invited you to sit rather than stand? Relax rather than strain? Breathe? These questions shape Finnegan Shannon's ongoing series Do you want us here or not. Benches, seats, and cushions invite visitors to sit and rest through handwritten phrases, such as “This exhibition has asked me to stand for too long...sit if you agree.” Addressing how art institutions often overlook the needs of their visitors, Do you want us here or not inserts accessibility into the space of the museum.
In this iteration, commissioned by The Fralin, the phrase “*Heavy sigh*...sit if you agree” foregrounds emotional expression through rest and breath. Shannon specifies that the bench is an artwork, not auxiliary seating, and should be displayed as such. Placed near the exhibition entrance, it asks visitors to engage physically and emotionally—blurring boundaries between artwork, artist, and audience. By sitting, we become part of the work.
Please sit if you wish.
Artist Description
A bright blue bench with white hand-painted text on the bench back and seat part. At first, the bench appears to be a part of regular seating for the exhibition, however upon further examination the bench is an artwork itself. The text reads: *Heavy sigh* Sit if you agree,” inviting visitors to physically rest too.
-- Description by Molly Joyce
Basic Description
A simple wooden bench, with only one armrest, painted a shade of brilliant blue. On the back of the bench white letters spell “Heavy Sigh” within two asterisk marks. Continuing on the seat of the bench, the white letters read “Sit if you agree.” The letters are bold, capitalized, and appear to be hand drawn. This artwork functions as a usable seat, and you are welcome to sit and rest for a while.