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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rhode Island School of Design's Department of Furniture Design to Present Immaterialize at International Contemporary Furniture Fair
Students to Showcase Work at the Javits Convention Center, New York City
May 16-19, 2009
contact: Jaime Marland, 401 427-6954 jmarland@risd.edu
Providence - Leave your assumptions at the door and expect the unexpected when the RISD Furniture Design Department presents Immaterialize at
the 2009 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). Rhode
Island School of Design’s contribution
to this year’s ICFF showcases furniture and products that
emphasize specific qualities of materials rather than their most
familiar applications.
In Immaterializing Material, a fall 2008 studio course taught by
Assistant Professor Lothar Windels, the designers each chose to work
with a single material of their choice. The materials were not necessarily
associated with furniture, and also not necessarily as structural
as wood or metal, which are typically used for building furniture.
A hands-on investigation with their chosen material gave each student
an understanding of its properties and performance as they prepared
to use it to develop a piece of furniture or a product.
“Students explored their selected materials by taking them
beyond expected contexts through a rigorous research and development
process,” noted Windels. “The use of one material and
one fabrication process was encouraged, though a secondary material
could be used as a means of ensuring structural integrity and appropriate
detailing.” Throughout the semester, students developed a series
of models that helped them execute final functional prototypes for
the show. “Each design reinterpreted its material to make meaningful
objects that evoke uplifting experiences, thereby transcending its
materiality without denying it,” Windels said.
The works in this exhibition should be viewed as prototypes of thought.
Although some could be mass-produced, the main focus is to open new
paths for designing furniture and to display objects that help us
to question our preconceived notions about products and materials.
Immaterialize
will be on view at booth 1273, and will feature nine student pieces:
· In Of
the Skin, Micaelan Davis [MFA 2009] went beyond
the typical application for rawhide to fold and mold water-soaked
buffalo hide into a sturdy, beautifully organic table with a warm,
amber glow.
· In Supple, Chelsea Frost [BFA 2009] transformed everyday packing
material into a surprisingly appealing set of household pillows by making multiple
silicone rubber castings of bubble wrap and attaching zippers to provide support.
The zippers also allow the pillows to be packed flat and then assembled into
their 3D form on arrival.
· Debra Folz [MFA 2010] created a sturdy, fully functional table,
fittingly called 100% Wax, first by casting industrial wax, and then pouring
liquid wax over a bed of wax still in bead form to create a textured surface.
· Made of
a minimum of 40% post-industrial recycled material, the Flow Chair by Jennifer Tran [BFA 2009] evolved
from trial-and-error when heating 3form’s Varia Ecoresin to a malleable
state and then quickly forming it by hand. Evenly spaced grooves provide
a bold, graphic contrast to the undulating, organic shape of the chair.
· Inspired
by the idea of making a stable structure using a process known for its softness
and flexibility, Ruth Fore [MFA 2009] experimented with
crochet stitches to create Crochet Crochet, a spherical wire form, with loops
growing from small to large gauges. Roughly 3,000 feet of aluminum wire went
into the finished piece, which was then anodized to improve its strength and
stability.
· After researching
the use of feathers in decorative arts, Andrew
Mau [BFA 2009] created a breathtaking bowl called Perch, an unglazed porcelain
piece that stands on a base of quills and supports an intricate array of tightly
layered, beautifully colored pheasant feathers lining the interior. Each heart-shaped
feather is precisely trimmed to provide a consistent natural color and to emphasize
the contrasting interior and exterior textures.
· In Loofah Ankle Boot, Ian Horowitz [BFA 2009] explores applications
of non-manufactured fabrics in footwear, demonstrating that luxury and environmental
consciousness can go hand in hand. For the ankle boot, two-ply construction
with quilted reinforcement throughout the upper ensures durability, with each
shoe constructed of dried vegetables and a small block of poplar wood.
· The Split Seat by Isao Takezawa [BFA 2009] is made of vegetable-tanned
leather, which gains structural integrity when soaked in boiling water and
dried. The stool is composed of three identical pieces that were sewn together
after the hardening process, with the rigidity striking the ideal balance
between comfort and sturdiness; the combination of a traditional technique
and a contemporary design approach opens up new possibilities for the material.
· Pour is a series of teacups and saucers made entirely of molded
liquid plastic by Elisa Werbler [BFA 2009]. The forms were created through
a succession of pours against a mold, each one using a different color to
create not only an organic dripping effect but a clean, layered cross-section
as well. Contrast is central to the pieces: the free-form drips play against
the neat cross-section, and the glossy surface of the exterior contrasts
with the matte interior.
Sponsored by Metropolis magazine,
the 21st annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair will be held at
the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City from May 16–19,
2009. More than 600 exhibitors from 31 countries will fill the 145,000 square
feet of exhibition space with the latest in design and manufacturing of contemporary
furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials,
wall coverings, accessories, textiles, kitchen and bath for the residential,
home/office and commercial markets. More than 25,000 attendees are expected,
ranging from interior designer to architects, retailers, designers, manufacturers,
representatives, developers and members of the general public.
About
RISD’s Department of Furniture Design
RISD established its Department of Furniture Design in 1995 to support and
promote research and design education in the field. Through curricula that
combine craft and production skills with history, theory, research and professional
practices, the department’s undergraduate and graduate students explore
contextual issues, integrate new technologies, and address such contemporary
concerns as sustainability and human interface design. RISD’s Furniture
Design Department also serves as an international resource for promoting dialogue
within the field and for connecting designers, manufacturers, studio artists,
curators, critics and scholars.
Through their
diverse successes, the department’s many accomplished
graduates showcase the outcomes of an education that underscores not only the
principles and practice of furniture design, but the importance of self-awareness
and responsible citizenship.
About Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has earned a worldwide reputation as the
preeminent college of art and design in the US. Today, with more than 26,000
alumni, RISD enrolls 1,926 undergraduates and 426 graduate students from
the United States and almost 50 countries, offering degree programs in
the fine arts, architecture, design disciplines, and art education. Each
year hundreds of prominent artists, designers, critics and cultural leaders
visit RISD’s Providence campus. Among its many prized resources is The
RISD Museum of Art, which houses a world-class collection of art objects
from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, and art of all periods from Asia,
Europe and the Americas, as well as the latest in contemporary art. For
more information, visit www.risd.edu or our.risd.edu.
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