“Seating by Design" at the Figge Art Museum -- through January 17.
Through Sunday, January 17
Figge Art Museum, 225 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Rarely considered pieces of furniture will be made fascinating in a current Figge Art Museum exhibit, with the Davenport venue, through January 17, showcasing fully functional artworks in Seating by Design – an exhibition the museum's executive director Michelle Hargrave says should “inspire ideas and new ways to consider the things that we are sitting on so much. Particularly nowadays while we're spending so much time in our homes.”
Curated by Professor Monica Correia, Seating by Design will feature a range of innovative furniture designs created by former students of the University of Iowa’s 3D Design MFA, MA, and BFA programs. Designs by the former Head of Design of the School of Art and Art History, Professor Hung-Shu Hu, and Professor Correia will also be featured. Sculpturally dynamic as well as functional, the seating designs will include chairs, stools, and soft-form seating, among others. Together, these designs demonstrate the varied materials, contemporary technologies, and formal solutions possible in the 3D design field. Several of the works have been exhibited internationally, including at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy, and at the Stockholm Furniture Fair in Stockholm, Sweden.
Correia is a professor and the Head of 3D Design at the University of Iowa School of Art and Art History. The 3D Design program emphasizes creativity among its students while developing the skills necessary for them to become successful professionals, and its students practice and apply a variety of contemporary technologies including computer modeling, virtual reality, CNC (Computer Numerical Control), laser cutting, 3D printing, and more. Seating by Design demonstrates the high level of sophistication taught in the University of Iowa 3D Design program, providing inspiration for students who wish to pursue careers in the design field, and as Hargrave says, “Anyone who's interested in reclaiming furniture, woodworking, interior design, unique concept furniture – this is the show for you.”
Museum hours are currently Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, museum admission is $4-10, and face masks and safe-distancing measures are required. Reservations are strongly encouraged for access to the venue, and more information on the Seating by Design exhibition running through January 17 is available by calling (563)326-7804 or visiting FiggeArtMuseum.org.
