Brent Comber, Sabina Hill, Meredith Nicole, Jeff Trigg & Meagan Schafe: Roots
Thursday, October 10, 2013 ― Monday, November 25, 2013
 Are we more likely to preserve a piece of furniture if we know and are inspired by its genesis?As an artisan who is interested in building heirloom quality furniture, this is the question that consistently weaves its way into my art practice and business. Over the years I have found myself in conversation with people who want to share stories about their own coveted heirloom objects. I’ve noticed a common thread in these stories – the person’s own personal relationship to the object is always accompanied by a detailed background story of how they came to own the piece.  I became curious about what might encourage someone to desire a long-term relationship with an object, a desire that doesn’t arise from following the current trends or purchasing an object as design solution. Why is it that some of us take an object past its obvious lifespan just to have a visual reminder of the connection it represen  ts? How does connection with an heirloom object inform our sense of personal history and place? Does the story of heirloom’s genesis act as an active link in the individual’s connection to the object? How does the concept of an object’s sus tainability translate into its’ status as an heirloom? And finally, how does the practice of artisans and furniture designers consciously contribute to this sense of connection?
Roots, in sharing the maker’s story of the object’s genesis, invites the viewer to consider these intersections.
Curated by Meredith Nicole |