Featured in 'The Zone', Friday January 19, 2007

Written by Brian Blair

'Dimensions of Design: 100 Classic Chairs'

Perhaps the only classic chair not included from the Columbus Museum of Art and Design's lastest exhibit is the one basketball coach Bob Knight threw onto the court during a famous fit in a game years ago.

The display "Dimensions of Design:  100 Classic Chairs," highlights nearly 200 years of some of the most expensive seats in history - the upcoming Super Bowl game nowithstanding.

Only thing is: The works in this gallery stretching from Jan 26 to April 28 are miniatures from the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany.  They emcompass pieces fromm 1800 to 1990, and include a local salute.

"I think it will be interesting for people here to come and see a chair by the guy (Eero Saarinen) who design North Christian Church and Irwin Union Bank (in Columbus," said Brian Presnell, a museum installer for the local venue and a furniture designer in Indianapolis.

"Having an exhibit that ties all that together for this community is what I think is really great"

Those planning to visit the museum for this last exhibit in this space before The Commons is revamped and rebuilt can skip mistaking smaller-sized items for small impact.  When Presnell recently unrolled a poster for the exhibit featuring some of the biggest names in desig, from Frank Lloyd Wright to Herman Miller, he gushed with enthusiasm.

Some Designs such as the chaise lounge by Charles Edouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, or a red-blue chair by Gerrit Reitveld are as well known as some of the most famous works of art, according to the museum's Stephanie Kinnick.

"The compactness and clarity of minitures enable visitors to trace the historical development of industrial furniture production in a limited space, and gain insight into the wide variety of styles of contemporary design," Kinnick said.

End of an era

The opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30pm Jan 25 will honor Xenia Miller, the local philanthropist who made the original Indianapolis Museum of Art Columbus Gallery a reality in 1974at the then Columbus Visitors Center building.  She also was the person who donated $1 million in 1993 for a part of The Commons mezzanine to be converted into the current museum providing 2,400 square feet of gallery space.

Jenny Simms, interim museum director, acknowledged that the idea of that planned event makes her a bit wistful.  "It's the end of a legacy," said Simms.  "It has been her baby."

The museum's board members would like to be a part of the revamped Commons, but no desisions have been made.

Installer and designer Presnell hopes people will make plans to see the beauty of such art with beautiful curves and great legs.

Even the hottest statrs of today's entertainment realm can appriciate that look, according to Presnell.  Some of these chairs have made it into music videos from artist such as Sean "Diddy" Combs.  "I'm starting to see a lot of these things in the middle of pop culture," said Presnell.  "That makes me think that people are catching up (to top design tastes.)"