“Cabinet with Two Antique X’s and Two New Ones,” 1976. Wood, galvanized tin and stain from a private collection.
Gary Knox Bennett.
The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett Showcased at the American Craft Museum
NEW YORK CITY – The American Craft Museum announces the opening of “: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett.” The first retrospective of one of America’s foremost furniture makers opens on January 18 and remains on view until April 29. It will then travel to the Oakland Museum of California.
Bennett has played a major role in the development of studio furniture in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation for more than 25 years. In 1979, Bennett began to rewrite the ground rules for studio furniture making. By driving a nail into the beautiful finish of his “Nail Cabinet,” he struck a blow that echoed throughout the studio furniture community and helped to free the field from its obsession with technique and its overbearing reverence for wood. “Nail Cabinet” became a landmark in the history of Twentieth Century craft. Bennett’s nonconformist approach to furniture making is also exemplified in masterworks such as the “ColorCore Desk” (1984) and the “Boston Kneehole Desk” (1989). His innovations and irreverence changed the course of studio furniture making for future generations of craftsmen.
The 80 works included in the exhibition range from large-scale desks and trestle tables to Bennett’s unconventional clocks, lamps and jewelry – a rich assembly that displays his sharp sense of humor, innovative techniques and meticulous craftsmanship. Among his most recent works is a newly invented form, the tablelamp/lamptable, constructed of materials ranging from bamboo and PVC to bowling balls.
Bennett’s innovative working methods will be examined in the exhibition through enlarged photographs and a deconstructed piece of furniture that demonstrates his use of the band saw, drill press and milling machine to create unusual effects. The artist will also prepare an interactive display in which visitors will be invited to experiment with his ingenious electric switches, hidden compartments and unique fittings.
The American Craft Museum is located at 40 West 53rd Street, between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm and closed Monday and major holidays. For information, 212/956-3535.
