Functional Sculpture: Furniture from the Upper Midwest

When
IKEA opened here a couple of years ago, critic Glenn Gordon contributed a fine
piece to this magazine that carefully and wittily assessed the design quality
and craftsmanship of the Swedish behemoth’s furniture. Now Gordon has put
together (with co-curator Laurel Bradley) his own showroom of sorts, with
furniture makers, sculptors, and industrial designers from Minnesota,
Wisconsin, and Michigan. Of course, these are tables, cabinets, desks, and
lighting of a whole different order, ranging from the ultra-modern designs of
Thomas Oliphant, Blu Dot, and George Mahoney to more traditional work from
Linda Sue Eastman and Clifton Monteith‘s contemporary take on the folksy
bent-willow tradition. You won’t find any pancakes with lingonberry sauce, but
the show in itself is worth the trip to Northfield.

Carleton College Art Gallery, 1 N. College St.,
Northfield; 507-646-4469 or 507-646-4342.