Tom Loeser and Wendy Maruyama bring American fine art furniture to Superhouse

In the heart of New York City, at 120 Walker Street, within the Superhouse gallery, the design exhibition Colorama blurs the line between furniture design and art. The show running from November 14, 2024 - January 11, 2025, is an explosion of energetic colours featuring pioneering works of American artists Tom Loeser and Wendy Maruyama, celebrating their decades-long influence on American studio furniture. Known for pushing the boundaries of their craft, Loeser and Maruyama once again challenge conventions with a vibrant display of several novel narrative-driven pieces that embody their evolving artistic perspectives.

A radical past shapes a bold present

Both Loeser and Maruyama began their careers as disruptors, defying the restrained aesthetics of conventional fine art furniture in the 1980s. While their peers championed the beauty of natural wood, the duo introduced vibrant colours and unconventional materials to their product designs. Maruyama, who recently celebrated a career retrospective at the Fresno Art Museum in California, USA, is extolled for her audacious use of resin and painted embellishments. Loeser, on the other hand, was heavily inspired by the Memphis Design Movement, which led him to embrace geometric patterns and painted surfaces in his work as a furniture designer.

"In Colorama, the trailblazing artists return to their radical roots, transforming American fine art furniture. Now, Maruyama [...] and Loeser exhibit new works embellished with bold colours that hold all the finesse and sophistication only achieved from decades of making. While furniture artists today enjoy the freedom to choose material, technique and finish, the duo's break from traditional woodworking and finishing techniques over 40 years ago was tantamount to a revolutionary act," Superhouse reiterates.

The pair's creative kinship was cemented at the Appalachian Center for Craft, where Maruyama invited Loeser for a residency. There, she encouraged his casual use of paint, a shift that propelled him toward his signature adventurous style. Decades later, this dynamic collaboration has culminated in Colorama, an exhibition that bridges their revolutionary beginnings with their current artistic inquiries.

Exploring identity and interaction

At Colorama, Maruyama's technicolour wall-mounted cabinets, Rx (2024), Nik Nak (2024), Cadence (2024) and With Salt or Without (2024), delve into themes of femininity, health and the passage of time, drawing from her personal experiences of ageing. Her works serve as vibrant narratives, blending bold colours with intricate craftsmanship to provoke thought and introspection. Maruyama's Candelabrum (1994) reimagines the traditional candelabra in vibrant colours and a curvy form, blending fine craftsmanship with humour. In contrast, Mickey Mackintosh (1981/ 2022) is a witty homage to Charles Rennie Mackintosh's iconic chair designs, merging a pop culture aesthetic with historic design principles. These early works exemplify Maruyama's fearless approach to storytelling through furniture, a trait she continues to explore in Colorama.

Meanwhile, Loeser's playful seating pieces such as the Chair and a Spare collection (2021), the double-seater Switchback (2024), Chairiot (2024), Chesterbench (2024) and but but but (2024), encourage group interactions, inviting sitters to navigate its unexpected shapes and surfaces, and fostering connection in an increasingly divided world. His designs merge functionality with whimsy, encouraging viewers to sit, engage and experience the joy of communal creativity.

Despite their approaches, the two-artist show maintains a cohesive narrative. As Maruyama and Loeser revisit the striking colours and daring forms that defined their early work, they imbue these elements with new layers of meaning, reflecting their growth as artists and their responses to contemporary demands.

The Superhouse vision

Superhouse gallery, renowned for its focus on art furniture and design, provides the perfect setting for this visually dynamic and thought-provoking exhibition. Founded by Stephen Markos, the gallery has a reputation for curating exhibitions that explore the intersections of material, technology and narrative. With Colorama, Superhouse continues this tradition, spotlighting the transformative power of design to tell stories and challenge norms.

"Superhouse is committed to showcasing work that expands our understanding of art furniture. With Colorama, we're celebrating two artists who have consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible in this medium," Markos shares.

A legacy of craft and innovation

Both Loeser and Maruyama have left indelible marks in the domain of studio furniture, a field that blurs the line between art and function by treating furniture as a medium for personal expression, narrative and innovation. Loeser, who served as Chair of the Department of Art and Head of the Wood/Furniture program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1991 - 2020, is celebrated for his inventive approach to form and function and is a renowned member of the Studio Craft movement. His works have been exhibited globally, with pieces housed in prestigious collections such as The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum NY and the Yale University Art Gallery.

Furniture maker, artist and educator Maruyama is one of the first two women to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Woodworking and Furniture Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1978 and has garnered international acclaim for her socially conscious works, earning accolades such as the American Craft Council's Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship, a Fulbright Research Grant and several National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artist Fellowships. Her works are part of permanent international museum collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Dallas Museum of Art, USA, and more.

Through Colorama, the two artists revisit the techniques that once set them apart, demonstrating how their early radicalism continues to inform their current practices. From the vibrant hues to the thoughtful narratives embedded in each piece, the exhibition underscores their enduring influence on the craft. Colorama is a celebration of artistic risk-taking and the transformative power of design. Loeser and Maruyama's works remind us that furniture can be more than functional—it can be a medium for storytelling, a canvas for experimentation and a catalyst for connection.

As visitors step into the vibrant world of Colorama at the Superhouse gallery, they are invited to engage, question and dream. In a city defined by its diversity and creativity, this exhibition reveals the limitless possibilities of art and design.

'Colorama' is on view from November 14, 2024 - January 11, 2025, at the Superhouse gallery, 120 Walker Street, 6R, New York, NY 10013.