3 minute read
Seated
Whether it’s a majestic throne or a humble stool, what we sit on has undergone a rigorous design process and is an expression of its creator. Aesthetics, scale, style, materials, and proportions are just a few of the considerations taken when creating traditional, contemporary, or re-imagined seating objects.
SEATED features a diverse range of work created by 18 Fine Craft artists from across Canada. From stools, chairs, and benches created by master woodworkers, like the piece featured on the cover created by Kenton Jeske, to unexpected fold formed copper and enamel metal work, this exhibition explores the theme of seating objects in clever and unexpected ways.
In the piece “Still Life” by Amanda McCavour, it appears as if two chairs are welcoming you and a friend to have a seat after a long day, upon closer inspection you discover the entire scene is created from thread. McCavour’s thread installation looks as if the work would easily unravel but it holds a deceptive strength.
Traditional, Contemporary, Re-Imagined
The “Aibiki” knock-down wooden seat by Micheal Fournier is another piece that appears deceptively simple. Inspired by Japanese Sashimono, traditional joinery without fasteners, his prayer seat appears simple in form, but its design is complex and ingenious. Created with portability in mind the interlocking miters and imbedded rare earth magnets allow the tiny bench to be deconstructed to the size of a notebook.
Assembling the parts allows the user to fully appreciate the thoughtfulness and craftsmanship in the design, so we included a piece for our exhibition audience to assemble and enjoy the hands on experience of this piece.
Grace Han, a ceramic artist from Winnipeg, created Pebble Stools at the thematic ‘Clay Revival’ residency at the Banff Centre this spring, using her traditional Korean Ongi techniques. Grace originally trained in Seoul where she specialized in traditional Korean techniques and skills, immigrating to Canada in 2011 for an MFA from the University of Manitoba. Her work often explores ‘Betweeness,’ as both a newcomer to Canada and as a traditionally trained artist embracing tradition with her own originality.
Traditional and contemporary handcrafted furniture are complimented by conceptual work in this exhibition. Visit the Feature Gallery to see how each artist has crafted a unique spin to an object that is generally overlooked but plays an important part in our daily lives.
