Deco Benches for Benton
Date2014
MediumAluminum, stainless steel
Dimensions18 × 101 × 22 in. (45.7 × 256.5 × 55.9 cm)
ClassificationsBench
Credit LineGift of Dr. Timothy McLaughlin in memory of his son Kevin McLaughlin.
Object number2014.134
DescriptionThese benches were designed by Cameron Van Dyke specifically to complement the Thomas Hart Benton murals and the spirit of the Deco Period in which they were painted. Cameron Van Dyke was born in Washington DC and as a child was constantly building and making things. After a brief attempt at engineering, he earned a BFA in Furniture Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology and later an MFA in Art and Design at the University of Michigan. His studio is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over the years Van Dyke has completed many works of commissioned furniture and often these works reflect a certain stylistic period or visual language of the past. He has also developed a certain language of his own that uses sheets of metal to create volumetric and asymmetric forms that require exploration through interaction. This approach lends itself well to outdoor public furniture and Van Dyke has outdoor work in over ten cities around the country. He also has furniture in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum.
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