|
April 16-18,
2004 |
SHOW after the SHOW
FUNCTION+ART's
DIVERSITY:
Studio Furniture - part 1
Chicago,IL
April 30 - July 31, 2004
Function+Art is proud to once again participate in and support the PFFS. The show’s producers, furniture makers themselves, have worked tirelessly to mount an exhibition of both high quality and variety. For 2004, we bring you the work of four talented makers (Richard Bennett, Chris Martin, Ed Pennebaker, David Orth & Alex Roskin)- we are certain you will be as captivated by their works and talent as we are. Enjoy the show, and remember Booth #404.
SHOW PHONE - 312.371.1279
(MI)
A self-taught sculptor and furniture designer from Detroit, his works
have been exhibited in major cities around the world, including New York,
Chicago, Paris, and Tokyo . Mr. Bennett has also executed a number of
important public commissions, including several for Detroit’s Museum
of African-American History. Private furniture, architectural, or sculptural
commissions are truly this man’s forte!
Interestingly, Richard’s initial experiences with metal(s) came
as a structural welder for industrial and aerospace companies… from
that background, he has gained a mastery of nearly all means of metal
joinery and welding, and a level of precision in his own work that surpasses
most artists… he truly deserves the title “craftsman”.
Relentlessly exploring the relationship between angles and curves, his
designs all seem lighter than the space they occupy – a condition
which has led critics to observe that his works “flirt with gravity”.
An excerpt from Interiors Magazine …
An excerpt from Interiors Magazine (July, 93) states “...His familiarity
with stone, steel, and wood is reflected in the grace with which he mixes
them, and in the ease with which he moves back and forth between art and
furniture, blurring the lines at will….”
CHRIS MARTIN,
a professor at Iowa State University, melds his fascination of the feudal
time of the samurai and the life of the medieval knight with his insatiable
appetite for exploring new materials and techniques… His furniture
is an elegant, graceful combination of wood and metal, informed by influences
ranging from Iowa landscapes to feudal Japan.
Ancient
times seem to echo in Chris' work; sturdy lumber reminiscent of Medieval
castles, combined with almost-delicate steel fabrications evocative of
a Samurai's blade and finished with rich patinas result in contemporary
furnishings which suggest their own storied history.
The result is furniture that has a fine, lyrical quality about it, while
at the same time letting the materials speak with their own, often powerful,
voice. His passion for exploration of material... and process, is apparent
in texture and finish; finely crafted, yet revealing the maker's hand.
(click thumbnail for print-quality image)
(AR) Contemporary translation of ancient Venetian techniques and styles to make engaging, colorful, jaw-dropping light fixtures - pendants and chandeliers - and sculptural "clusters". Working with a palette of over 16 colors, Pennebaker creates his fixtures from as few as 40 to as many as several hundred individual elements. The resulting lighted sculptures can be vibrant and bold, like a circus, or understated and classic, suggesting a dark-paneled library. Either way, the spikes, curlies, and melons are sure to add a touch of drama to any room!
Of course, the most important aspects of glass making are light, color and form. Ed creates his work to take advantage of luminosity: light coming through the glass reveals texture and pattern and casts colors and shadows so the glass work interacts with its environment and becomes a pure visual feast. The jewel-like colors of glass, the individual forms of the pieces, and the light from within work as a group and function as a chorus of voices.
Ed's inspiration comes primarily from nature: the many vines, fruits, and plants in the wild... grape vines and honeysuckle, sprouting buds, leaves, fruit, and seed pods present a variety of expressive shapes and forms.
The fluidity of glass is expressed in the curvilinear forms; its voluptuousness is expressed in the globular, melon shapes - ready to burst with ripeness. Arkansas' winter also provides inspiration: under masses of icicles that have melted and refrozen, Ed surveys mounds of ice globules with wonderful textures, patterns, and optical qualities; frozen luminous transparent forms with colorful moss, rocks, and leaves visible underneath which are then referenced in his chandeliers and clusters.
DAVID ORTH
(IL) David Orth believes that art is an opportunity to understand something
important about life. For him, furniture - the sculpture we all live
closest to - is full of latent connections between philosophy, science,
religion, and ordinary, day-to-day concerns.
In
the early years Orth worked naively, "just building solid, truthful
furniture". This simple, rigorous process evolved slowly into a
reputation for startling, provocative structures and a respectful facility
with metals, woods, and other materials. Orth articulates his themes
through dynamic structural relationships alluding to the forgotten and
hidden forces in life. Current work is largely crafted in bronze with
details of concrete, steel, and weathered wood.
The
"New Art Examiner" has ranked Orth's furniture among the "most
sophisticated work, displaying an articulate, loving sense of craftsmanship
drawn from the past...sustained conceptually by...humor and personal
vision....highly sensual...finely tuned...consistent...truly 'art furniture.'"
(NY) Alex Roskin received his BFA degree in sculpture from Alfred University, School of Art and Design, and then honed his craft in a traditional English-style furniture apprenticeship. He earned his MFA in Furniture design soon after at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is now an assistant professor at Hofstra University teaching sculpture and 3-d design. Alex maintains his studio in Claverack NY.
Alex believes that a firm footing in craft (whatever craft that may be, from hand cutting dovetails to the perfectly beaded TIG weld) is the first step to understanding how to work a material toward successful expression. Alex’s most recent work grew out of his reverence for anatomy. His skeletal series reflects the seemingly simple yet highly complex mechanics of this physical armature. The skeletons’ hardened mineral forms left behind in its peaceful retires after all else has dissolved.
The function of furniture (the chair specifically) offers
a challenge to the maker, which is absent in a piece made solely to be
looked at. The scale, ergonomics, engineering, and finally sculptural
intent must all be thoroughly examined and integrated for a piece to succeed
in this level of personal experience.
312.243.2780
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am to 6pm
or by appointment
www.functionart.com
email the director