From Works on Paper to Art Furniture

Albert Sanford has made his Galerie Maximillian a landmark on the art map for its excellent collection of works on paper, and he has always garnered attention for shows featuring the prints by contemporary British artists like Damien Hirst. The gallery’s holiday reception on December 26 will unveil new acquisitions of 20^th-century and contemporary works, along with new pieces by Kathy Taslitz, a sculptor/designer who describes her furniture as “art made complete by those who use it.” Her functional pieces—amalgams of sculpture and home furnishings—not only engage viewers but force them to use the artworks, live with them, and accept them in a wholly different way.

Taslitz’s first collection of furniture designs, Pieces of Ourselves, is a terrifically different take on household fixtures. Unexpected forms and materials emerge on objects one would normally take for granted. And along with being conscious of the furniture, Taslitz says, viewers also become aware of themselves. “I use lots of mirrored or reflective surfaces, which is meant to make the work interactive.” She explains. “It works into the theme of the piece: how you fit into the world, how to find your place.  I love that introspection I feel whenever I use them.”