SPOTLIGHT WOOD ART
SOFA CHICAGO 2007: www.sofaexpo.com  
NOV. 2 – 4, FESTIVAL HALL, NAVY PIER
OPENING NIGHT MISE EN SCÈNE: NOV. 1

SOFA CHICAGO 2007, the 14th annual international exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art, returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, Nov. 2–4 to present masterworks bridging design and fine art from 100 international galleries and dealers and 18 countries.

John Makepeace Millennium, 1988 Consecutive laminations of English holly, nine in the slim elements and forty in the legs and arms; leather upholstery Photo: Mike Murless Crab Tree Farm Special Exhibit

SOFA CHICAGO’s Lecture Series features internationally renowned curators, scholars and artists in 31 presentations, and is widely considered the largest and most distinctive forum at an art fair dedicated to exploring both the works on display and worldwide trends in today’s art scene.

Seven special exhibits from around the world are also complimentary with SOFA admission and include Contemporary Furniture at Crab Tree Farm featuring furniture created at Chicago philanthropist's John H. Bryan's working farm in Lake Bluff, IL. Presented are works by renowned British designer John Makepeace, who will attend SOFA CHICAGO, and two of his former students, Mike Jarvi and Critz Campbell. Makepeace is one of the most celebrated contemporary British furniture designers, whose commissioned work is showcased in dozens of permanent collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Art Institute of Chicago. Mike Jarvi's refinement of curving surfaces and Critz Campbell's experimentation with new materials reflect Makepeace's dual emphasis on expressive ends and technical mastery.  Franz Schulze, Hollender Professor of Art Emeritus, Lake Forest College, IL, will present an accompanying lecture in the Lecture Series.

David Ellsworth Roppi, from the Solstice Series(1980s) , 1991, torch-scorched ash photo: David Ellsworth

Another stand-out special exhibit for wood art aficionados is Woodturning in Basic Black presented by the American Association of Woodturners, an exhibit of lathe turned and carved pieces by twelve artists, including Liam Flynn, Todd Hoyer, Betty Scarpino, Gorst Duplessis and David Sengel.  

Edward Moulthrop Donut Bowl, ca. 1990 Smithsonian American Art Museum

Trees have long been revered for their symbolic and functional qualities. In the hands of master craftsmen and artists, works in wood – naked or embellished-often emphasize the beautiful, organic, and primordial qualities of wood and have made it a natural choice for making everyday objects to monumental sculpture.  On this theme, the Collectors of Wood Art present a Lecture Series presentation entitled: Wood Art: From Nature to Hand, featuring Jane Milosch, Curator, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, who will discuss expressive and functional qualities of wood, from Marcel Duchamp and Henry Moore to George Nakashima and Edward Moulthrop.

John Jordan Black Vessel, (detail) 2005 American Association of Woodturners special exhibit

Other wood art related Lecture Series presentations include: Woodturning-Constructive Critique of Contemporary Work, a critique of contemporary woodturning and comparison to other 3-dimensional arts, featuring Charlotte Brown, Director, Gregg Museum of Art & Design, NC State University and presented by the American Association of Woodturners. 

Harvey Fein Untitled Platter, 2007, Bubinga, Coolabah, Plexi Stand del Mano Gallery

And Five Perspectives in Wood, featuring artists Harvey Fein, Liam Flynn, Ron Isaacs, Ron Layport and Joël Urruty discussing their inspiration, differences and current work in wood. Presented by Collectors of Wood Art. 

Last but not least! Live woodturning returns to SOFA CHICAGO!  On going artist demonstrations at the show, organized by the Chicago Woodturners chapter of the American Association of Woodturners and presented by Collectors of Wood Art.

Visit www.sofaexpo.com for full information on Lecture Series and Special Exhibits as well as updated news on SOFA CHICAGO 2007and live reports from the show floor, including artist/dealer interviews and art sold.