Deborah Reichard

Hopewell, NJ
Residency: December 2004-January 2005

Welcome to my rocky world of sculptural landscape furniture. Rock my world is a laminated plywood, three piece, sectional chair that resembles a boulder formation. The three rocks that combine to form this piece have a sanded and waxed finish, are sturdy enough to climb on, heavy, and hollow. The title Rock My World refers to the desire to surround oneself with the better qualities of nature, and perhaps even posses these qualities.

Bringing furniture that resembles boulders into the home is symbolic of gathering their more ephemeral qualities of strength, beauty, purity and freedom, and unleashing these powers into daily living. This piece, like much of my work comments on commodification and assumed ownership of that which cannot be owned. The entire work was shown at PS 122 Gallery, New York, with boulder shelves that held souvenir mugs bearing the image of this artificial landscape.

Deborah Reichard received her BFA from The College of New Jersey, and an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Washington. She has recently exhibited in Oregon, Washington and New York. She states, "this work is as much about a visual language of form, material, object and function, as it is about mimicking nature in the home and yard. I like to take a new approach to preexisting formats such as baseboard molding, and instead of making a molding for the masses, make one that is personal, idiosyncratic, humorous, thoughtful, and/or site specific."