WHEN FURNITURE AND FINE ART COLLIDE
The relationship between furniture and art goes back a long way. From the ornamental Rococo aesthetic to the fancy Art Deco style, visionary artists have been narrowing the gaps between form and function, conceptual and utilitarian, in order to elevate living spaces.
Some contemporary artists have taken it a step further. Designers and artists Ken Kelleher, Misha Kahn and Katie Stout, for instance, have been challenging the norm of everyday furniture with domestic objects that double as a work of art, or the other way around, in an attempt to diminish the barriers between both.
We catch up with three American art makers (as some of them regard the term “artist” as artificial and a marketing tool) to uncover the concepts of their captivating works that belong in both the home and art museums.
KEN KELLEHER
What do you think is the purpose of furniture and fine art respectively, and the relationship between them?
In the pure sense, furniture is meant to be used, utilitarian. I think from the art side, the usefulness of furniture is one of those things that can
