Design and Style: Against the Grain

A roundtable discussion from four artists on their participation in this year's Design and Style events and the associated exhibition, Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design, which showed at the Museum of Arts and Design through September 15, 2013. Participants in the talk include designer Sebastian Errazuriz and sculptors Willie Cole, Sarah Oppenheimer and Ursula Von Rydingsvard whose work also appeared in the exhibition. The discussion is moderated by Lowery Stokes Sims, curator of Against the Grain.

Focusing on some of the most interesting conceptual technical trends in woodworking today, Against the Grain (The Monacelli Press 2012) includes approximately 65 vessels, sculptures, furniture, and installations, created from 2000 to 2013. These pieces provocatively defy categories and celebrate the visual dynamics of wood. A book version of the exhibit has also been created, focusing on how contemporary creators engage the medium of wood in strategies that might be described as “postmodern”. The artists involved employ techniques such as mimicry, assemblage, virtuosity, and whimsy (with a serious purpose) and environmental issues are prominently addressed. Artists represented also include Derek Bencomo, Gary Carsley, Hunt Clark, Piet Hein Eek, David Ellsworth, Sebastian Errazuriz, Bud Latven, Mark Lindquist, Thomas Loeser, Sarah Oppenheimer, William Pope.L, Martin Puryear, Marc Andre Robinson, Laurel Roth, Betye Saar, Courtney Smith, Elisa Strozyk, Alison Elizabeth Taylor, and Ursula von Rydingsvard.

Arezoo Moseni organizes the Design and Style series of events, which is going on its third year, featuring discussions and presentations by leading professionals in various design fields.

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