Equines Rule in Furniture with Soul Show

Over the summer Gallery NAGA, in Boston, assembled an ambitious international show of top tier studio furniture artists that included makers profiled in David Savage's book Furniture With Soul - Master Woodworkers and Their Craft. I haven't read the book so I won't be providing any review here, but I have read reviews and from what I understand, it is an impressive survey of top tier US and British furniture makers. This show included artists that were featured in the first section of the book. Next year, Gallery NAGA is planning on exhibiting artists that were included in the second section.

Because these are the best of the best (though, as with any curatorial process, no one can agree who these should be and many of my favorites aren't in the book), it was a surprise to me that I would have such clear and definitive favorites in the show. Interestingly, they turned out to be pieces inspired by equines. First, there is this set of Zebra Cabinets made by John Makepeace, a British artist whose work I had never seen before.

Zebra Cabinets

black oak and holly marquetry, burnished lacquer interior

John Makepeace

2012

Seeing these pieces in person made me think that there weren't enough superlatives to describe them. They aren't just remarkably imaginative, playful, elegant, and refined, they are exquisitely perfect at every level of concept, design, and execution. "Breathtaking" would theoretically be a good word to use but it really doesn't do them justice.  

Zebra Cabinet (inside)

Zebra Cabinet (closeup)

And then there is Judy Kensley McKie's new Grazing Horse Table. No, it isn't wood, but as I've said before, I make an exception in reviewing Judy's work. It is typical of her designs in being graceful, elegant, and an original interpretation of an animal that so often depicted in art that it is hard to imagine a new take on it. She pushes the boundary of how a horse is perceived, keeping only what is essential for the viewer to understand the subject. I also like how she uses the strength of bronze to make such delicate legs and tail.  

Grazing Horse Table

Bronze

Judy Kensley McKie

2012

Grazing Horse Table (second view)

Though not a horse, John Cederquist's kimono cabinet, titled Big Kanji, is still a great piece. It is an innovative combination of marquetry, sculpture, painting, and furniture design. 

Big Kanji

mixed wood marquetry, analine dyes, epoxy resin

John Cederquist

2010

In spite of its sculptural form, it is still a very functional piece, but what I really loved about it was the mechanism for opening the big door. There is a lever underneath the small cabinet on the right that you pull and the door swings open very gently in a way that is reminiscent of a bank vault. 

Big Kanji (second view)

 

Big Kanji (third view)

In addition to his phenomenal Zebra Cabinets, John Makepeace had two very beautiful and unique Trine chairs as well as a stool made in a similar style. The chairs are made with alternating layers of laminated yew (light color) and 5000 year old bog oak (a natural, almost black, color).

Trine Chairs

5000 year old bog oak and yew

John Makepeace

1994

Trine Chair (second view)

Though this stool seems to be made with a similar techique as the chairs, the concentric circles are actually made with marquetry rather than sculpted lamination.

Trine Stool

5000 year old bog oak and mulberry marquetry

John Makepeace

1994

Incidentally, in looking through a catalog of John's work, as well as his website, I am amazed at the complete mastery he shows of a wide range of styles and techniques. It really is a remarkable achievement. Especially considering most artists have very distinct styles that are instantly identifiable. With his work, however, the only consistency is an impeccable level of design and craft.

Garry Knox Bennett had three pieces in the show. First is this coffee table made with a nautilus shell. 

coffee table

claro walnut, nautilus shell, epoxy, color core

Garry Knox Bennett

2012

I think the nautilus shell really makes the piece, especially with Garry's splash of color.

coffee table (close-up)

Garry also had this combination desk/chair in the show. 

vanity with Z chair

rosewood, yellow satinwood, copper, paint

Garry Knox Bennett

2012

Every time I see one of Garry's Z Chairs, I'm amazed by the physics of them. I can't understand how anyone can make one of these things and not have it collapse like an accordion the first time it is used. But, because I know it is one of his signature pieces, and he has made many of them, I am completely confident that he has figured out a way to make it work - but it still doesn't seem possible to me, must be some form of magic.

Z chair (close-up)

A chair I did sit in, and I can attest to its absolute comfort, is Peter Danko's NoCo 2 Chair.  

NoCo 2 Chair

ash, Macassar ebony, die cut automobile tire, steel

Peter Danko

1999

Looking underneath, you can see he engineered some unique springs with automobile tires. Perhaps it should be called a "Goldilocks Chair" because the springs are stiff, but not too stiff, flexible, but not too flexible.

NoCo 2 Chair (close-up)

Having also sat in Peter's Atmos Rocker, I can say that he seems to have given an uncompromising priority to the user's pleasure.

Atmos Rocker

ash, lacquer, automobile seat belt webbing

Peter Danko

1999

Surprisingly, though Thomas Hucker's Side Chair looks as if a priority is given to its sculptural qualities, is also extremely comfortable. The back rest gives support, flexes, and provides the user with a very pleasing massage.

Side Chair

wenge

Thomas Hucker

2010

Michael Hurwitz's Twelve Leaf Resin Table is a captivating combination of nature-inspired art and engineering. 

Twelve Leaf Resin Table

ash, wenge, epoxy resin

Michael Hurwitz

2012

To get a sense of the enormous effort needed to create this table, check-out this time lapse video of the process Michael filmed while doing a residency at San Diego State University.
SDSU Artist-in-Residence Spring 2012: Michael Hurwitz from Matthew Hebert on Vimeo.

The contrast between the ash and wenge is particularly dramatic. In many situations it could be too much but with the soft tones of the leaves, it works very well here.

Twelve Leaf Resin Table (close-up)

I found Jack Larimore's Abide to be an interesting variation on a tête-à-tête, perfect for people that aren't on good terms.

Abide

paulownia, steel

Jack Larimore

2009

Abide (second view)

And finally, there is David Savage's Perseus, a chair named after the Greek hero famous for slaying Medusa. I suspect the multi-snake-like backrest is a reference to that story. To tell the truth, I didn't try it out because I didn't feel worthy. It looks very regal (perhaps that is the British influence). I'll have to wait for him to make something for common folk before I'll pass judgement on the comfort of his work.

Perseus

waxed English sycamore, Macassar ebony, applewood, and suede upholstery
David Savage
2010

Given the impressive line up of artists that was assembled for this show, and the quality of the pieces they provided for it, I look forward to the second half next summer. 

Great Museum Seating

I recently visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to see Ellsworth Kelly's show of wood sculptures, however, in order to avoid getting thrown out of the museum for repeatedly violating their policy of no photography in the special exhibit, I wandered around the rest of the museum hoping that the security guards would rotate out -- which they did about every 45 minutes. In doing so, I saw a lot of great art, but what I was really excited to find were these world class benches and seats that the MFA had strategically placed in unassuming and surprising places.  The first that I stumbled across was this pair of Wendell Castle chairs in the ancient Asian art gallery.

Zephyr Chairs

walnut

1979

Wendell Castle

What an absolute treat! I'd never had the opportunity to sit in a Castle chair and I can now attest that not only are the stunning to look at, they are also quite comfortable.

As I left this spot I made a point of keeping an eye out for more great seating and in a nearby room of Asian horse sculptures (and paintings?) I found this fantastic Judy Kensley McKie bench.

Pegasus Bench

mahagony and leather

1979

Judy Kensley McKie

Though I couldn't find a label identifying the bench I think this is the correct title because it is how Edward Cooke referred to it his 2004 interview with Judy. As with many of her animal sculptures, Judy engages the viewer by designing these horses/pegasi with a little mystery. In looking at them, you can't be quite sure what they are at first, you need to look longer and think about it. It creates an appropriately mythical feel to the piece. Unfortunately, the bench engaged at least one visitor a bit too much given that one of the ears had to be reattached.

Then, not to far away, I think in a gallery of Greek sculpture, I came across this impeccably designed bench by Hank Gilpin.

Bench

curly maple and walnut

1999

Hank Gilpin

The top is a very wild piece of curly maple with the cracks and splits left naturally unfilled or repaired.

Gilpin Bench (top view)

But from the bottom side you can see the remarkable quality of the design and execution. For example, note the gentle curve in the stretchers, the through tenons that are left slightly proud, the pins in the leg securing the tenon are also slightly proud, and, most interesting, look at how he helped to make the bench top look lighter, as if it is floating above the base, by creating a half-inch(?) gap above the legs and by also camferring the edge of the bench. In doing it, he has given a very light feel to a piece that is very solid in its construction. 

Gilpin Bench (underneath view)

Though I continued to look for more great seating during the rest of my visit, I didn't find any more. However, in checking the museums inventory, it looks like there is also a Maloof in another of their less visited galleries (although the MFA has graciously decided to invite the general public to use these great works of art from their permanent collection, I don't think they want them to be subject to the kind of abuse they would experience in their more popular galleries). I'll definitely keep an eye out next time I'm there and will update this list as I locate them.

New Works By Judy Kensley McKie In Wood (as well as Bronze and Stone)

Though I try to restrict my arts coverage to wood art, I have what I call the JKM exception, which states, if your initials are JKM I'll discuss what ever you make, regardless of the medium. Coincidentally, Judy Kensley McKie has those very same initials so I was happy that when I came across her show at Gallery NAGA it was full of museum quality work that included wood sculptures as well as bronze and stone.

Of all the work in the show I was most intrigued with her abstract basswood relief because it is so completely different than anything else of her's that I've seen.

Abstract Headboard
carved basswood
40" x 63" x 1 3/4"

Not only does it lack any animal imagery, but there are no smooth, graceful curves. It is full of jagged, sharp edges, almost like shards of glass or metal off-cuts that were thrown on a floor. It is hard to imagine anything more distant from her breathtakingly beautiful and often humorous furniture.

In her conversation with Arthur Dion, the gallery director, reproduced in the catalog, she says that she started drawing it as a mental break, to start thinking about other ways of working, and when she looked at the finished drawing decided that it was interesting enough to reproduce as a relief. I can see how it would be rejuvenating to create the drawing, however, it is also interesting how she took a mental break but then applied the same level of intensity she applies to her other work in realizing it into a final piece. It took her three months of difficult carving to make and she could have easily used that time to create something more typical, with a ready-made market. I guess what I like the most about the piece is how it shows artistic integrity in her willingness to take chances and grow. She hasn't become complacent and content to make things that she knows will sell, rather, she is pushing herself, and her audience, to look at things differently.
Of Judy's more famous biomorphic work, this tiger table is the star of the show. The narrow legs, thin body, and graceful lines give it a delicate and animated feel, while the fierce head provide it a contrasting sense of danger.

Tiger Table
cast bronze
(I had to lift the image from the gallery website because I accidentally deleted my own)

The mouth seems perfectly shaped to fit a forearm, seemingly tempting the viewer to place one there and risk losing it. A perfect balance of beauty, danger, and temptation.
This ram bench has a very pre-Columbian feel. I think of it as a minimalist sculpture in the non-traditional sense, that is, Judy has somehow captured the essence of the ram with the minimal amount of material removed. It is good to see it still retains its original blocky nature, which, remarkably, seems to show respect to both the medium and the subject.

Ram Bench
Limestone

This dog bench is another of my favorites. Classic JKM work in being both humorous and graceful.

Dog Bites Tail Table/Bench
cast bronze

Along the same lines is this Round Hound Table. It is a form she has played around with before, however, this one seems to have more movement and is more flowing. It makes me think of the Yin/Yang symbol but also reminds me of MC Escher's drawings, perhaps because of the symmetry.

With this Cherry Tree Chest (and I assume with the Abstract Headboard as well) Judy used a dead flat varnish so that the wood wouldn't darken and the grain pattern wouldn't distract from the design. I think it has more of a tropical look than I would expect for something made to represent a temperate forest tree but, as with her other representational pieces, her imagination is more important than the reality of the object.

Cherry Chest
carved basswood with maple casework

And yes, the draws are made with hand-cut dovetails.
There are quite a few snake pieces in the show, including these candle stick holders and bowls.
She says she likes to design with snake because they are just a line, allowing unlimited possibilities. They are also the non-venomous kind, more like garter snakes that are friendly bug eaters.

Snake Bowl (wood)

Snake Bowl
cast in bronze from the one above

I like this Monkey Cabinet and how it seems to borrow from Frank Stella's protractor series and
how this Ibex Cabinet seems to borrow from Van Gogh's technique of outlining figures.
Judy has included two more pieces from her "helping hands" series in the show. They are endearing works in that she is creating pieces that are just looking to be helpful, asking what they could do around the house that might be useful and then assigning themselves some otherwise menial task. In addition to the new vase and candlestick holders, previous shows have included helping hand bookends and a bowl. Although it is overt in these pieces, the same theme runs through most of her work. Her animals seem to be saying, "how can I help you?", "have a seat," "let me hold that for you," servants out of of graciousness rather than servitude.

Helping Hands Vase
cast bronze

Helping Hands Candlesticks
cast bronze

When I visited the show a week after the opening, this Duck Bowl had already sold out (she is selling 8 of her edition-ed work). There is something about the shape of the head and the fact that it is looking back that is captivating. It is elegant but also a little odd, just a little off, slightly confusing, that draws me to look at it longer.

Duck Bowl
cast bronze

The show also includes a series of animal plaques. My favorite are this frog and

this dog. I especially like how she has the tail become part of the border. It is so Egyptian-esque that I had to research what dog hieroglyphs look like and was surprised to find that Egyptian's drew much more realistic looking dogs than I would have imagined. You can find examples here and here. I think this one looks more like a lizard, which makes it more interesting.