chris schanck on his otherworldly alufoil creations for friedman benda’s design in dialogue

DESIGN IN DIALOGUE: INTERVIEW WITH chris schanck

 

on april 1, 2020, new york gallery friedman benda initiated a series of online interviews aimed at connecting individuals across the world with leading voices in the creative field. design in dialogue is a conversational program hosted alternately by curator and historian glenn adamson and designer stephen burks that engages with designers, makers, critics, and curators as they reflect on their careers and creative processes. against the backdrop of COVID-19 and global lockdowns, the conversations are held virtually on zoom for 1 hour for anyone in the world to tune in to, and include a participatory Q&A with the audience in attendance. friedman benda has since presented more than 90 episodes, each offering unparalleled insight into the sensibilities, musings, and memories of today’s creative protagonists. see our recent feature of ortamiklos on ‘improvisational design’ and tom dixon on ‘creative salvage’.

 

on april 8, 2020, design in dialogue welcomed detroit-based artist and designer chris schanck, who shared the compelling story of his studio, which is located in a former factory in banglatown. working with a team of artisans – including women from the bangladeshi immigrant community – schanck creates bespoke furniture, sculptures and other objects out of salvaged and inexpensive materials.

 

watch the full video interview at the top of the page, and learn more about the work of chris schanck and his ongoing exhibition at the museum of arts and design (MAD).

 

 

 

‘chris schanck: off-world’ at mAD, new york

 

chris schanck’s otherworldly furniture forms are now on view at the museum of arts and design (MAD). marking his first solo museum exhibition in new york, ‘chris schanck: off-world’ presents the artist’s elaborately carved, colorfully hued, and lustrous sculptures and pieces of furniture. on view until january 8, 2023, the exhibition also includes several recently completed works that explore the artist’s new directions toward the figural and the personal. 

 

video by studio oiseau

 

 

concretion, 2021, edition of 8. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

cryo II, 2020. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

invasion, 2018; fluorescence, 2020. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

grotto mirror: lavender II, 2019; grotto console: pomegranate, 2019. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

mum chandelier, 2020; scrying table III, 2018; the eye of the little god, 2022; gold 900, 2018. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum

shuddering cabinet, 2022. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

shuddering cabinet (detail), 2022. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

banglatown, 2018. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

shuddering coffee table, 2021. courtesy of friedman benda and chris schanck. photography by clare gatto

the eye of the little god, 2022. courtesy of friedman benda and chris schanck. photography by clare gatto

the eye of the little god (detail), 2022. installation view at the museum of arts and design, new york. photo by jenna bascom; courtesy the museum of arts and design

 

 

project info:

 

exhibition: name: chris schanck: off-world

duration: february 12, 2022 – january 8, 2023

location: museum of arts and design (MAD), new york

designer: chris schanck
gallery: friedman benda

 

 

design in dialogue is a series of online interviews presented by new york-based gallery friedman benda that highlights leading voices from the field — designers, makers, critics, and curators — as they discuss their work and ideas. hosted alternately by curator and historian glenn adamson and designer stephen burks, the conversations are held on zoom for 1 hour and include a participatory Q&A.

 

watch the full video interview with chris schanck at the top of the page and stay tuned as designboom continues to share design in dialogue features. see all past episodes — and RSVP for upcoming ones — here.

friedman benda X designboom

mar 24, 2022