Posts tagged Chicago Art Museums and Galleries
FEATURED IN MAY: SETH KELLER, JOHN SALADINO, WALTER FYDRYCK

We are happy to feature new pieces to the gallery this May. The gallery remains open by appointment only — please contact the gallery to set up a time to view any of the pieces you see online. We are best able to help if you provide the pieces you would like to see prior to your appointment. For any requests beyond what you see online, please contact us and we can help source new pieces or refurbish from our stock.

JOHN SALADINO FOR DUNBAR POST + BEAM SOFA

This sofa, designed in the 1960’s, has been freshly reupholstered in boucle fabric and has a newly restored ash base. This design is a rare and sought after. It peels back the bulk of a sofa, with tall wooden legs and streamlined cushions. This sofa is perfect for occasional spaces— an office, entrance hall, sunroom.

IT WALNUT BENCH

Seth Keller has been a working artist for almost twenty years as well as working for the Art Institute of Chicago. Seth’s work is intimately related to exploring manufacturing processes, primarily working with wood. This piece allows the materiality to be showcased. By using simple forms, the color and movement of the wood comes to the forefront.

"ELATED VIBRATIONS"

Walter Fydryck has been working since the 1960’s and was trained at the Art Institute of Chicago. His paintings undulate and bend with colors morphing into others; abstract shapes hover over hazy backdrops. In this piece, Fydryck creates a crisp, futuristic abstract work. The monochromatic scheme and sharp, angular forms makes it seem almost metallic, the shape like a bent piece of chrome reflecting light.

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

Happy New Year from Matthew Rachman Gallery!

This year we continued to bring in newly restored modern furniture and breathtaking works by our artists. Although we were unable to present any curated shows, we are grateful to continue to bring forward new and exciting work. In the early few months of the year, we featured work that had not been seen before, such as Ted Stanuga’s “Humbold” which drew sidewalk onlookers with its grand scale, or a triptych of Slater Sousley’s quietly vibrating plein air paintings.

This year we have also begun creating our own bespoke furniture. Our first piece is the MR Sofa, featuring bold, curving lines and beautiful blue mohair.

We continue to be available via appointment to anyone interested in seeing work in person and look forward to all the great work that will come in 2021. Thank you to all for your continued to support.

FEATURED IN NOVEMBER

This month, we have an exciting collection of contemporary art and mid century modern furniture to feature. The gallery is open by appointment only— if there are any pieces available you would like to see in person, please contact info@matthewrachman.com or call 773.245.3182 and we would be happy to set up a time.

This month we would also like to feature the work of Dan Fink Studio, a New York based interior design firm. Fink’s designs are warm and eclectic, incorporating elements of traditional, contemporary, and mid century design. His pallets are muted to elevate the beautiful textures: mohair, wood, marble, lacquer, mirror. His space planning is inventive, putting furniture in unexpected but beautiful and functional places.

Charlotte Perriand designed the Les Arcs ski resort in Savoie, France in the 1960s. Employing her signature modern style, Perriand designed every piece of the buildings to be built quickly and efficiently given the resorts location and limited seasonal building time. This sconce is a prototype for the metal wall sconces created for the bedrooms. Sleek and simple, Perriand creates a visually interesting and functional wall fixture with simple materials. The bulb sits directly behind the metal sheet, providing a defused wash of light on the walls.

This set of chairs was designed by Frank Gehry, an American architect born in Canada who has designed some of the world’s most famous buildings. These chairs are made of long strips of maple, bent and formed into tall, sleek chairs. The design is unique by bending a strong sturdy material, using wood to form a basket weave on the seat of the chair.

Slater Sousley’s plein air paintings capture the serenity of nature. In “The Woods Beckon” we see his expert shine through— painterly strokes that blur lines, soften contours, and emphasize the subtle movement of the woods. He works quickly to capture the exact light, seen in his deft use of highlight.

Gustav Axel Berg was a Swedish furniture designer working in the middle of the 20th century. He operates in standard mid-century materials: simple, textural upholstery and bent light woods. Berg’s furniture is especially curved, utilizing exact contours and innovative silhouettes. These chairs, made of patent leather and birch, are the epitome of Berg’s work. The woven patent leather is unexpected but beautiful, and the detailed curves add interest to these simple chairs.

FEATURED IN MAY

ISAMU NOGUCHI IN-50 COFFEE TABLE

"In art, one does not aim for simplicity. One achieves it unintentionally as one gets closer to the real meaning of things." -Constantin Brancusi

Isamu Noguchi’s iconic coffee table is comprised of two pieces of solid wood, interlocking into each other to form a tripod base for the glass above. Constantin Brancusi’s influence is apparent in this work, through Noguchi’s time as Brancusi’s apprentice, with the use of organic shapes and assemblage. This sculptural design has proven the test of time through its unity of harmony, balance, and durability.

EDWARD WORMLEY PYRAMID FLOATING BOOKCASE

Edward Wormley was a longtime director of the Dunbar furniture company, and brought modern design into midcentury residential homes. He had a deep appreciation for traditional design and impeccable craftsmanship. The Pyramid Floating Bookcase can be utilized against a wall or floating in a room to add more dimensionality to put your collection of books and objects on display.

UNTITLED BY SHINNOSUKE MIYAKE

Untitled beautifully captures an instantaneous moment and invites the viewer to be immersed in Miyake’s brushstrokes. The artist’s trust in his impulsive decisions is definite, bringing concrete yet fluid motions to the surface. Read Japanese artist Shinnosuke Miyake’s bio and view his other works here.

FEATURED IN DECEMBER

MILO BAUGHMAN MID-CENTURY MODERN CANTILEVER CURVED CHROME SOFA

This cantilever sofa by Milo Baughman, produced in the 1960s, has been freshly reupholstered with a plush poly blend that catches light in its weave. Contrasting soft, rounded edges with its clean-edged chrome, this design combines the organic shapes of contemporary furniture with MCM rectilinearity.

AZURE BY MAURA SEGAL

Azure has an entrancing washed blue background that underscores the sharp lines of its collaged paper. These thin lines that appear hand drawn, reveal themselves to be meticulously cut from strands of paper. Their craft gives them a wavering width and kinked bends that so well articulate Segal’s sensibility. Rigid like wire and sharp like the edges of tape, Segal places these lines to activate the borders of her paintings. Shadowy polygons hover beneath the artwork’s monochromatic background to highlight the negative space left by the foreground’s lines.

CURTIS JERÉ RAINDROPS WALL SCULPTURE MIRROR

Curtis Jeré, known for producing elegant brass and glass sculptures under Artisan House, made some of the most iconic wall pieces of the 60s & 70s. This mirror comes from one of Jeré’s most recognizable series: Raindrops. Characterized by its emphasis on circularity and reflection, Raindrops possess warm patinas and luminescent form.