R 20th Century is pleased to present AFTER, curated by Kelly Behun and Alex P. White of kelly behun|STUDIO. AFTER, which is on view September 19-October 27, will feature works from kelly behun|STUDIO, one of the most innovative, experimental design studios working today, and R 20th Century, one of the leading galleries for the exhibition of historic and contemporary design.
Designs in the exhibition draw inspiration from methods of sampling, appropriation, and deconstruction and how these ideas relate to postmodern notions of authorship. AFTER acknowledges “reference” in ways that are alternately direct, irreverent, poetic and oblique. More information on the exhibition after the break.
kelly behun | STUDIO is an interior design firm that operates on a laboratory model where experimentation is encouraged and collaborations with contemporary artists produce pioneering designs for the residential environment. AFTER marks the first public exhibition to present these designs as well as Behun and White’s innovative vision for contemporary interior design. “We believe that the key to a successful collaboration is the willingness to experiment and take risks. It is seemingly disparate ideas collide that creative sparks fly and the best design is realized,” according to Behun. “We are strong advocates of the mash-up phenomenon,” adds White.
AFTER treats the domestic environment as a sculptural landscape where opportunities abound for interactions between various creative disciplines. AFTER lingers on the moments where the traditional boundaries between disciplines disappear, where ideas overlap and reveal the unexpected. Some artists’ work referenced, reinterpreted and re-combined in this show include: Lynda Benglis, Lola Dupre, Antoni Gaudi, Gordon Magnin, Roberto Burle Marx, Gaetano Pesce, Yvonne Rainer, Niki de Saint Phalle, Victor Vasarely and Factory Records.
kelly behun | STUDIO table designs included in the exhibition are limited editions or unique pieces and include cocktail tables incorporating original art by leading contemporary collage artists, metal coffee tables with silk-screened glass panels inspired by op-art graphics, a series of handcrafted resin tables influenced by the groundbreaking work of Lynda Benglis, their “Gaze” series of crystalline wall mirrors with digitally printed imagery, and a unique dining table with a hand carved base covered in mosaic ceramic tile combined with a free-form Macassar ebony top. Additionally, Behun and White will present several new wallpaper designs that incorporate op-art imagery and digitally reproduced resin pours.
The exhibition will also include vintage and contemporary works from R 20th Century selected by Behun and White. Featured designers will include Wendell Castle, Julia Krantz, Oscar Niemeyer and Jeff Zimmerman, who will present a custom illuminated sculpture. R 20th Century’s Principal, Zesty Meyers notes that “kelly behun | STUDIO has an incredible vision for creating a cohesive interior that pulses with energy created by unique combinations of art and design works.”
For more information on the exhibition, please visit here.
