Pull up a Chair - architect-designed furniture from the Bauhaus to Frank Gehry.

Venue: Stratford Library Meeting Room

Artist: Deborah Jenner

Promoter: ArtsNational Cairns

2:00pm Sunday 10th November 2024

Visitors $25. 2025 Memberships available for $135 (8 lectures) Pay at the door on the day.

Furniture has often been designed as a miniature of a building’s forms and ornaments. It naturally makes use of the available materials and techniques of its time. Breuer’s chair was adapted from a bicycle frame and Magistretti made use of wire racking. Then, mid-20th century popularized prefabrication and moulded materials. Eames exploited plastics for his single-shell chairs while Gehry used layers of humble corrugated cardboard for his ottoman. Each piece makes a statement about architectural styles, yet each can also blend with and update more classical interiors. Even the uncomfortable ones can serve as a sculptural work of art.

Deborah Jenner, American-born art historian; member of College Arts Association has resided in Paris since 1990. She has worked at the Ecole du Louvre, the Sorbonne, the Catholic Institute, and the British Council. Her Doctorate thesis proved non-western influences in Georgia O’Keeffe’s art. Deborah’s publications include catalogue essays for Musée d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou, many scholarly papers and Gallery critiques. She gives public talks, guided walks and museum tours for ex-pat organisations and study-abroad programs.