What happens to a space when we occupy it? How does that change, depending on who is perceiving it? And what do we leave behind? These are some of the questions we might ask when encountering the work of Lindsey Wolkowicz.
“The work is not about representing a location but instead about presenting what is found there,” the artist said in a statement about her work. In pieces like “Tending” (pictured), we seem to encounter a body – struggling to hold on to its place in a universe that perpetually defies this pursuit. “These bodies exist in a situation as much as they do in a location,” comments Wolkowicz. “They seek to ground themselves in the ‘places’ they occupy through their hands, feet, through touch and strength. But they are also nowhere.”
Wolkowicz uses intersecting lines, partial views of the body and planes of dislocated material to create what she has called “windows into an experienced place.” She explains: “In my drawings, figure, surface, lines, geometry and color simultaneously interrupt and support one another.” The artist also aims to “promote a physical and evocative connection with the body of the viewer” whenever possible.
Just as onlookers hailed Superman with cries of “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!”, they might greet the Nalgona Collection by Chris Wolston with: “They’re chairs! They’re vibrant celebrations of movement!” Now available in five styles (part of a limited edition of eight), these mischievous- seeming seats raise their arms as if to dance, hail cabs, exult in roller coaster plunges, or even accentuate the curves of their own ample seats. Creator Chris Wolston’s wry work spans furniture, lighting, seating and accessories – mixing technical sophistication with playful postmodernism.
“Clean Slate” is a domicile (n.) group exhibition in partnership with Gruin Gallery highlighting our new beginnings as society emerges from the pandemic. Appropriately, at the center of this celebration of rebirth, we find the ultimate mother embodied in “Gaia.” Artist Laura Jones paints a mother goddess, who is cleansing past darkness – making way for new life, embodied in this piece by the distinctive, rich red flowers of Australian Sturt desert pea plants. The piece continues the artist’s noted explorations of floral still life and themes of confronting climate change.
Is there art in everyday things? That’s part of the question posed by digital exhibition CUP. “The exhibition is intended as a tribute to the pause, presence, and the relationship between the body and the cup,” explains Swedish designer Kajsa Willner. She’s one of 38 international artists and designers invited to take part in the exhibition, which elevates the common container to star status. Willner says part of the concept is to celebrate the cup’s workaday nature as “an object that increases the quality of daily habits and actions.” However, it will also explore the cup’s more rarified nature, as part of rituals, and the way it “aesthetically, tactilely, or perceptually connects us to the body and the moment.” Willner’s own project, “Coffee Cup Realism” aims to express the comedy and drama inherent in the designer’s own morning routine via her distinct take on “kitchen sink” realism. You can see it as part of the CUP exhibition via @between_objects on Instagram.
Not since the Seventies have houseplants been so big! And why not? Studies show caring for plants can be as rewarding as loving a pet – they’re relatively easy to maintain, act as living décor and purify the air that surrounds us. DESIGN NOTES: This alfresco bedroom is all about bringing the outside in! A flowering and well-pruned tree is a sculptural anchor in this eclectic space while the suspended swinging bench brings a touch of outdoor whimsy undercover. A previously unloved courtyard is transformed into a hardworking kitchen garden and inside-outside garden installation. Open to the elements, it receives its due of sunlight and rain but is easily accessible as a delightful container and vertical garden that delivers. TIP: Urban gardening may be one of the biggest worldwide trends there is – and no wonder. Growing plants, edible or otherwise can be infinitely gratifying and they give you a chance to connect with nature no matter how big or small your space.
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