Throwback: Trustees Dinner @ The Whitney Museum of American Art

In 2005, Geoff was given to design and create the decor for the annual Whitney Museum of American Art's Board of Trustees. Having majored in art at Pratt, Geoff was thrilled to have the opportunity to create his own installation inside a major art museum, even if only for a night!  Using chartreuse Dupioni silk swagging back and forth over the table and "through" the windows and out into the courtyard, taking advantage of the very high ceiling and surrounding spaces.The table was dressed with a bright orange runner with a continuous water-filled tray containing floating candles and orchids blossoms in chartreuse and orange. Geoff worked his magic in creating sculptural scrolls at the end of each fabric swag. The result is strong yet whimsical.

LYONEL FEININGER DINNER AT THE WHITNEY

To celebrate the opening of the late German expressionist artist Lyonel Feininger's exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art, we were asked to design the members only dinner party. Inspired by Feininger's frequent use of architectural imagery (in particular, arches), Geoff designed zig-zag folding screens made of homosote to create a whimsical architectural folly. The chartreuse tablecloths and soft pink palette of the floral centerpieces are reminiscent of his color palette. The next evening, the same decor was re-used for the public opening, an event for several thousand people.

 

Here's a look at a few of Feininger's paintings which inspired Geoff's design:

Lyonel Feininger: At the Edge of The World
June 30 - October 16 @ The Whitney

Paul Thek(nology) @ the Whitney

To celebrate the new retrospective exhibition of artist Paul Thek at the Whitney Museum of American Art, we were commissioned to design the opening party held at the museum. Paul Thek was famous for his unusually vibrant color sense, use of raw materials and glass boxes with surprising contents. Drawing upon this sensibility Geoff chose an offbeat and bold color palette. Glass Boxes were used to contain the candles and flowers of table centerpieces. The entrance screen shown below was made of stained 2 x 4's with hardware cloth holding a broad swath of hydrangeas, dramatically side lit. Below the screen is a collection of various sized glass boxes holding a variety of lit candles.

Like the Hydrangeas, an array of boldly colored plates adorned the tables.

(view from the street shows the Hydrangeas wall from the lobby and the dining area below)

PAUL THEK @ The WHITNEY Museum of American Art
Now thru January 9th, 2011