Micheal Beitz, an artist from New York, was commissioned to design a permanent seating installation for the outdoor space of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Nebraska.
With “Picnic Table”, Beitz departs aesthetically from the usual furniture typologies, while exceeding expectations for what a functional piece of outdoor furniture can be. It breaks away from conventional forms but uses ordinary construction methods. Made of poplar wood, the table offers seating for up to 10 visitors.
It is Beitz’s first functional work for public use, and it brings together the two strands of his practice: collaborating with designers such as Wendell Castle and BDDW, and creating contemporary installations for public spaces. Beitz’s works combine architecture, design and sculpture in a playful way that flirts with functionality, winning over the viewer with objects that are familiar from everyday life.
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It is worth mentioning that during the artist’s exhibition at the Bemis Center in 2010, Beitz designed concepts for a series of alternative furniture pieces and built “Dining Table”, an idiosyncratic table for two, 3.05 metres long.
Photos: plusmood.com
Text: Natasa Lianopoulou
