Reimagining Architectural Heritage with Tribeca Facade Furniture
Local designer Rafael Prieto has embarked on a distinctive creative journey, turning the remnants of a Tribeca facade into an evocative furniture collection. This innovative work is now showcased at the Emma Scully Gallery in New York City, inviting visitors to explore the dialogue between the old and the new.
Salvaged Pieces Tell a Story
Prieto’s exhibition, “The Future of the Past,” draws from sixteen salvaged elements of a nearby early twentieth-century building, saved during its tribeca renovation. The salvaged material was stored in Prieto’s studio for a year as he contemplated their history and connection to the cityscape.
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These fragments inspired Prieto to reflect on New York’s essence. They are not just decorative; they hold stories of the city, reimagined now through functional art and furniture design.
Integrating Historic Elements with Past and Present
The collection, showcased at Emma Scully Gallery, includes four tables featuring architectural elements like cornices integrated into their structures. This furniture design is highlighted in pieces such as a bright red chair, where motifs from the discarded building materials come alive.
Crafted with Modern Flair
Prieto’s contemporary touch is evident in the juxtaposition of historic architecture with modern materials like lacquered birch wood in deep purples, blacks, and reds. One standout piece, the Red Birch and Stone Table, combines a corbel with a red birch leg and a top of burl veneer.
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Another highlight includes a stool featuring a central stone fragment and a low-lying burl veneer chair with striking red arm supports. This contrast of hard and soft materials underscores the collection’s thematic journey.
A Broader Creative Vision
Visitors can also engage with Prieto’s intriguing wallpaper, produced with Wallpaper Projects, and his photography, encasing the show in a conceptual shell. Prieto, originally from Mexico, also manages the marketing studio Savvy in both New York and Mexico City and has founded a chocolate company.
Prietos’ work is a part of a growing movement where New York’s inventive designers, like Clement Pascal, draw deeply from the city’s vast inspiration. The “Future of the Past” featuring his collection is open to the public at Emma Scully Gallery from 30 September to 12 December.
Source: dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
What inspired Rafael Prieto’s furniture collection?
Prieto’s exhibition ‘The Future of the Past’ draws from sixteen salvaged elements of a nearby early twentieth-century building in Tribeca, which inspired him to reflect on New York’s essence. These fragments are not just decorative but hold stories of the city, reimagined now through functional art and furniture design.
Where is Rafael Prieto’s furniture collection exhibited?
The collection is showcased at the Emma Scully Gallery in New York City.
What materials does Rafael Prieto use in his furniture?
Prieto uses modern materials like lacquered birch wood in deep purples, blacks, and reds, integrating them with architectural elements like cornices from the salvaged fragments.