Exhibition at the Cranbrook Art Museum Highlights Paul Evans’ Incomparable Furniture
- Paul Evans and Phillip Lloyd Powell, Cabinet, circa 1962. Collection of Merrill Wright. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.
In 2014, The Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, hosted “Paul Evans: Crossing Boundaries and Crafting Modernism,” the first comprehensive survey of the designer’s work. Paul Evans (1931-1987), a leading figure in the midcentury American studio furniture movement, used metal to create stunning sculptural pieces that defied what everyday objects looked like and how they were made.
“Crossing Boundaries and Crafting Modernism” featured 68 works spanning Evans’ varied career. Evans, who studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, a leading institution of American contemporary design, began working with metal in the 1950s. During this time, Evans shared a studio with fellow furniture designer Phillip Lloyd Powell in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The pair often collaborated on pieces that melded Powell’s wood prowess and Evans’ metalworking skills. A number of objects from this period are included in the exhibition.
- Paul Evans, Cabinet (Cityscape II, Faceted). Collection of Dorsey Reading. Photo by Jason Wierzbicki.
In 1964, Evans became a featured designer for the furniture manufacturer Directional Furniture. He introduced several lines, including the Sculpted Bronze series (mid-1960s), which involved shaping resin by hand and spraying it with a metal coating; the Argente series (late 1960s to early 1970s), which featured aluminum and pigment-infused metal surfaces welded together to create abstract forms; and the popular Cityscape series (1970s), which was inspired by the Manhattan skyline. Sleek and elegant, the Cityscape series garnered significant recognition for Evans and established Directional Furniture as one of the most notable modern furniture companies of the late 20th century. “Crossing Boundaries and Crafting Modernism” will include works from each of these pivotal series.
- Paul Evans, Coffee Table, 1960. Collection of Rina and Norman Indicator.
The Cranbrook exhibition included lesser known works by Evans, including his jewelry and sculpture. A number of pieces from the Cranbrook’s permanent collection by Evans’ contemporaries was also on view. This selection from the museum’s celebrated Shuey Collection will place Evans’ pioneering furniture designs in context with concurrent trends in midcentury art and design.
“Crossing Boundaries and Crafting Modernism,” which was organized by the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was on view at the Cranbrook Art Museum through from June 21-October 12, 2014.
