FUNCTION+ART
SOFA CHICAGO Booth #1506
Furniture: Bonnie Bishoff
and J.M. Syron, Nico Yektai
-----------In-Booth
Artist Talk
by Bonnie Bishoff: Expressive Veneers : Painting with Clay 1
p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8th
Ceramics: Steve Hansen,
Dennis Lee Mitchell and Ruth Borgenicht
Teapots: Richard
Swanson, Darlys
Ewoldt, Steve
Hansen, Greg
Fidler, Jeffrey
Lloyd Dever, Chihiro
Makio, Barbara
Frey and MORE
GALLERY
EVENTS November 7 - 9, 2008
Gallery Walk
Friday, November 7
RECEPTION 6 to 9 p.m. Featuring additional
works from our SOFA artists, as well as selections for our usual roster.
(FREE shuttle between River North (Franklin & Superior)
and the West Loop (Carpenter & Fulton))
For a list of nearby restaurants, click
here.
MEET
the ARTISTS Brunch
Sunday, November 9, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 12 noon
(FREE shuttle between River North (Franklin & Superior)
and the West Loop (Carpenter & Fulton))
CERAMIC
FURNITURE
BONNIE BISHOFF / J.M. SYRON
"We strive to create objects that continue to reveal their beauty over time with patterns that engage the eye, forms that are sensual and color that harmonizes throughout."
J.M. Syron and Bonnie Bishoff believe that people have a strong resonance with the basic elements of design found in nature and they try to reflect those lines and patterns in their furniture. Their primary mediums are wood, polymer clay and fabric. Combining these diverse mediums give them the forms and the surface designs that are the main focus of their work. Repetition also plays a large part in their designs with inspiration from fractal geometry patterns, like those found in shells, plants and even cells.
Syron and Bishoff have been collaborating in the design and making of furniture since 1987. Both artists delve into the mediums of wood and polymer clay throughout the process of creating. By using techniques from other mediums with the polymer clay such as mokume gane from metal working or millefiore-like canes from glass, they have been able to create surface patterns with the depth and complexity of highly figured wood. The wooden elements are created from hand carving, shaping and veneering. The end goal is to combine these mediums resulting in vibrant pieces where all elements sing together. Taking further inspiration from painting, and applying to the tradition of marquetry, yields an infinite palette.
Worn under Medieval armor, chain mail is made of tiny interlocking metal rings designed to protect a body in motion. Ruth uses the chain mail pattern and other woven patterns to create ceramic works that conjure up a sense of permanence and defensive concealment. Like the ancient armor, her pieces are made of a fabric of moveable interlocking rings. She says: "Using clay to make a protective mesh is contradictory; for how can it defend anything, much less itself?" Visually stone-like, the pieces appear strong and impenetrable, belying their inherent fragility. [View more of this work at the gallery] Ruth's sculptures often retain vestiges of function, and their unique structure allows an interactive relationship with the owner.
Fresh off a commission for the Fuller Museum, and bouyed by articles in both Ceramics: Art & Perception (current, issue #73) and American Contemporay Art, Steve's featured work continues to probe the intersections of fine art & craft and High/Low art, while using Trompe l'oeil and strong imagery to relay significant content. The connection to Pop Art in this new work remains strong. Steve describes his work thus: "I use images and words taken from actual propaganda posters from a variety of countries and put them together in graphically interesting ways. In some ways propaganda appeals to the lowest common denominator in any country in the same way as flashy ad campaigns or cartoon strips, they work best if the viewer reacts without thinking too much. The similarities between German, American, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Japanese propaganda are amazing. Each country preys upon the fear of the other. Each country uses racial profiling to demean the enemy. Each country calls up patriotic fervor to defend the motherland and its way of life. Each country calls for the support of its citizens for the army and a common goal. In the 1960’s Andy Warhol used images of Chairman Mao as part of a wildly successful capitalist, market-driven campaign to rule the “art world”, thus creating an amazing and lasting bit of visual irony. I have revisited the consumerist vs. capitalist argument and enlarged it to bring into focus the irony of polemic truths living side-by-side on the same tea pot." [View more of this work at the gallery]
Dennis Mitchell's nature-inspired, torch-welded clay sculptures, have been exhibited across the US, as well as in Greece and South Korea. Born in a small town in Kansas, he spent most of his time outdoors exploring. He learned that if you paid attention to the wilderness it could teach you much about self and life in general.
Dennis says: "Elements of this kind are essential and primordial to humankind. All things are imbued with this composite. To become close to these elements through making art allows me to touch ever so lightly that universal honesty." Not content with documenting what 'is', Dennis has expanded upon his notion of the composite, creating a new 'body' of works that more fully illustrate this. [View more of this work at the gallery]
 Function
+ Art is also happy to sponsor Brent Skidmore's participation (after
a 2-year hiatus) at SOFA, as part of A Perfect Marriage: Wood and Color A curated exhibit of work by artists who have inventively used the natural color of wood and those who have joined artistic color and wood to explore new aesthetic possibilities. Curated by Paul W. Richelson, associate director and chief curator, Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL. Presented
by Collectors of Wood Art. |
Once again, Function + Art is excited to participate in SOFA-Chicago. This year marks, with our sister gallery PRISM, our most significant booth presence to date. We are confident, in spite of market turbulence, that art still calls as strongly to you as it does us. Art is more than beautiful. It illustrates, communicates, and enhances the human condition. Well-crafted works last generations, hold value, speak to our hearts, and are always appreciated. Art is one of the great passions of Life. As you consider your priorities, we invite you to visit the following links, which illustrate that art can be enriching in the literal sense as well. While we never suggest purchasing art for any other reason than love of that particular work, in these days of uncertain markets, we thought we’d do a little research on how art fares AS an investment; WHAT WE FOUND was interesting, and for those of you wondering how best to allocate your resources, we think worth considering. Evidently, the folks who have launched THIS SITE agree. We have a wonderful lineup of artists and work, some of which may be had for under $500. We look forward to seeing you at the booth (#1506)
1046 w. fulton market - chicago, il 60607 / 312.243.2780 / www.functionart.com