Leslie Webb is another one of the younger designers from Philadelphia whose booth caught my eye this year. She doesn't yet have a huge body of work, but what she does have shows terrific promise.
Here's her "Linda Lou" rocking chair:
Very simply elegant, warm, and without pretense. She tells me that all the pieces ended up being named for her friends and family.
Here's the "Lindsay II" room divider:
One of my favorites is the "Carter" entry dresser:
It was inspired by a photo by Edward Burtynsky (though not necessarily this one):
Rock of Ages #2 (1991, chromogenic print)
--Image courtesy Paul Kuhn Gallery.
He really has to be one of the most incredibly talented photographers alive today, and I do hope he'll consent to be interviewed here at some point (he was unavailable when I inquired previously). Webb's piece has a wonderful contrast to it, though: the uniformity in the size and proportions of the drawers gives it a rigid formality, while the seemingly haphazard arrangement of them gives it a casual playfulness. There's also the subtle element of gravity defiance making it that much more dynamic, but all together it's restrained and doesn't smack you in the face. I quite like it.
The other piece that struck me at the show was the "Lainie" dresser:
I really love this as a cabinet for storing clothes, because it looks like a piece of fabric as seen under a microscope. The spaces in between offer great little nooks for the display of art objects, or to rest jewelry, watches, cufflinks, whatever. I also assume that two or more of these could be butted together and the "weave" would appear to continue unbroken on a longer stretch of wall. Extremely clever, and a beautiful piece.
©2009, Ryan Witte
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