Argente Two Door Cabinet
Design Date 1968
Designer Paul Evans (1931-1987, American)
Media wood, aluminum and metal with slate top
Dimensions 32 1/2 x 48 1/2 x 20 1/2 inches
Paul Evans, a sculptor as well as a designer, pioneered the “brutal look” in the 1960s, which was heavily textured and roughly-hewn, in contrast to the smooth plastics and fabrics common in mainstream Pop design. He hired up to 90 metalworkers at the height of his popularity, each of whom left their mark on the unique pieces they crafted. He said that “handmade products should show the hand. Good line is not enough because that can be produced industrially…. Furniture should have detail and richness.” Evans achieved this cabinet’s textured look with a patchwork of carved wood, epoxy resin and sheets of aluminum. He used his training as a metalworker, as well as metallurgy and jewelry design techniques to create his metal-accented furniture. He used an acetylene torch to melt the aluminum for pieces in his Argente series; the molten aluminum would flow in the direction of the flame to create a textured surface. To create the etched surface seen in some parts of this cabinet, Evans blackened the aluminum sheets with ink, and then etched into the ink so the metallic surface showed through.
ON VIEW in Sculpture Gallery 10
Credit Line Collection Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Accession Number 2003.0048
