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Vivid hues, quirky forms and fine craftsmanship set the mood for Brooklyn’s lavish exhibit Object & Thing, from May 3rd-5th. Reimagining the relationship between art and design, former Frieze Art Fairs Artistic Director Abby Bangser is the brainchild behind the new concept, who, together with artistic director and designer Rafael de Cárdenas, created an imaginative setting that showcased 200 object-based contemporary and 20th-century works from 32 of the world’s leading art and design galleries.
Alongside the main exhibition, a selection of boutique shops, exciting talks series as well as a food & drinks area, featuring a pop-up by Andrew Tarlow, were also on show.
To coincide with the launch, Object & Thing introduced an e-commerce platform, which offered visitors an exclusive glimpse of the works in the main exhibition, while also providing eager art aficionados with a chance to purchase the pieces with one simple click.
Staying true to our industrious ethos, OnOffice curated the fair’s best work-related creations and marvels. Explore our top picks of officey showstoppers below.
Stool 5 by Donald Judd, Judd Foundation
Influential American artist Donald Judd might have disavowed minimalism, but he continues to remain one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century within the field, as his revolutionary ideas influence both art and design spheres to this day. Initially crafting furniture solely for his own use, design eventually became a creative pursuit for Judd, who went on to produce furniture for serial production from 1984 until his death in 1994. Stool 5, designed in 1984 and fabricated in 2019, demonstrates the artist’s multi-disciplinary connection between art and design. Crafted using painted aluminum in traffic yellow, the pieces are produced by Judd Foundation and Donald Judd Furniture in the same manner as the artist established initially.
Pam Felt It by Martino Gamper
London-based Italian designer Martino Gamper is perhaps best known for his project 100 Chairs in 100 Days. First exhibited at the the Triennale di Milano in 2009, the 3D drawing, as described by the artist himself, typifies Gamper’s style and ethos, rejecting harmony and symmetry. Pam Felt It displays his radical approach. Featuring abstract wool felt upholstery atop steel bases, the pieces represent a collision of Cubism and mid-century modern styles. Embodying simplicity and sophistication all at once, the collection might just represent the ideal chair, which ironically, goes against Gamper’s statement that “There is no perfect chair”.
The Object & Thing shop, Photography by Pernille Loof
Dinosaur bone pen by Monique Péan
Highlighting art, culture and global environmental issues through sustainable design, Monique Péan utilises extraordinary and rare materials, such as fossilised walrus ivory and fossilised dinosaur bone, to produce their exquisite goods. Handcrafted by New York City’s finest craftsmen, the brand works with sustainable materials sourced globally from artisans through fair trade initiatives. This 18 carat recycled yellow gold pen, inspired by the “intersection of the Earth and cosmos”, juxtaposes a rare 150 million-year old specimen of cream coloured fossilised dinosaur bone with a natural square cut grey diamond on the finial, as curator and writer Glenn Adamson explained.
Glass lamp, Yellow, by Fabien Cappello
Interior and furniture designer Fabien Cappello boasts an impressive list of clients, including Kvadrat, the British Council and Gallery Nilufar Milano. While his dwelling is in Mexico City, Cappello trained in Europe – at the ECAL, Lausanne, and the Royal College of Art in London – and has since then focused largely on craft techniques and industrial production. Working on commercial objects, limited editions and public environments, Cappello’s offerings include domestic furnishings, accessories, and lighting. His Glass Lamp (pictured above), is crafted out of hand-fused glass and steel, which “typifies contemporary Mexican designers’ skill at combining the assets of industry and hand craft”, as noted by Adamson, who provided further insight into the object’s significance.
Untitled (Machines – yellow, green-black) by Matt Paweski
Playful and bright, artist Matt Paweski produces domestically scaled works. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Paweski’s pieces are modest in scale, but portray a meticulous attention to detail. In keeping with his style, these yellow aluminium and vinyl painted sculptures unveil a vibrant depiction of the industrial systems surrounding us, but also offer a direct connection to work environments. While the pieces are non-functional, the sculptures do, nonetheless, capture a modern machine aesthetic, with numerous planes, cylinders, disks and components evoking mechanical drawings and models.
New York’s latest anchor event Object & Thing oozes flair and flamboyance.
