Kelly Gale Amen is first an interior designer, second a furniture designer and third a supporter of the arts. Amen began experimenting with furniture design in the early nineties: the rarity of functional artwork intrigued him. While many agree that three dimensional works of art, “sculpture” exist primarily in space visually, the impact of functional art on humans is more complex. When function is added to form, the human element is further illuminated through tactile involvement. Perhaps we become the object of the art.
Choosing the Right Art Furniture
While many agree that three dimensional works of art, "sculpture," exist primarily in space visually, the impact of functional art on humans is more complex. When function is added to form, the human element is further illuminated through tactile involvement. Perhaps we become the object of the art.
In 1991, Kelly Amen couldn't find the right piece of furniture for a client, so he created one. The cast bronze triple sectioned bench with a fossil stone top was the first in a series of art furniture pieces created by this gifted artist. Amen knew right away that he embarked on a journey, but maybe not that it would become his passion to create a collection of unique furniture over the next 10 years.
The Bronze Chair 1991 is a good example of this illumination. It shows the classical Roman and greek inspiration in Amen's work, with its wide body, generous proportion and tapered legs joined by draped forms across the sides and front. The chair is an invitation to be seated in bronze. The most recent work, the Console 2000 takes Amen's journey further with its strong sense of femininity and figurative lines. Pieces such as the MCSS Table 1999 and the Memorial Table 1998 demonstrate Amen's ability to maintain an elegant balance between line and scale, while highlighting the particular metal chosen.
If it has become increasingly difficult for individual artists to feel capable of making a lasting mark in the world, Kelly Amen is rising to the challenge. The creation of lasting and beautiful things that will inhabit homes and public spaces enables the maker to have a persistent and reaching voice, further inviting others to share in their creation and enjoy objects of significance. Amen hopes that collectors will view his pieces as heirlooms, as they are unique from the present throwaway manufacturing mentality. "Bronze, iron and aluminum are forever," he says, "and this furniture will be here long after we're gone."
This gallery represents and highlights Kelly Amen's journey thus far and invites you to explore functional art.
