Essay about Furniture as art

Submitted By Ronny-Williams
Words: 606
Pages: 3

After reading the text and doing my research, I have come to a conclusion that there are two types of “furniture art”, functional and decorative. I see where people could say “wow this is great art “, but to me it is not functional furniture, it’s sculpture. I believe if furniture has lost its functionality, it is no longer “furniture” in the traditional sense but becomes a master piece of art. I believe you can have decorative furniture like the ones pictured in the discussion board or pieces made by Michael Beitz. In the article, Wendell Castle is an artist who wants to make his furniture art. He uses his skills that he learned in school to transform his art into functional furniture as well as a piece of artwork. He thinks “outside of the box” and creates art that is untraditional but still functions as furniture. He gives furniture a dual purpose. He uses unconventional techniques that is viewed by others as “inappropriate” and creates masterpieces of furniture art. Studio furniture, or art furniture as it is sometimes called, can be traced to the 19th Century Arts and Crafts movement in Europe. The growth of handmade furniture in the 1950s is sometimes called a revival, but it was a revival of skills, not of forms. One of the chief attributes and attractions of traditional crafts is the avoidance of fashion and novelty; they evolve slowly and embody a sense of permanence. This is natural. A traditional craft is, by definition, the craft of a traditional society, and it reflects the social and technological surroundings. Art has evolved greatly from drawings in caves to great works in the sky, such as the Gateway Arch or the Eiffel Tower. In the case of furniture as art, the evolution raises some fascinating questions. What is the relationship between craft and art? What is the relationship between the usual function of furniture and the individual creativity of the furniture maker? What is the relationship between art and its utility? Does one plump down into a studio chair, or merely admire it? If it is a work of art, is it still a chair? I personally believe like we have learned in the beginning of this class “Art is not in the eyes of the beholder”. I may see a chair or couch while others see