A figurehead of the American “art furniture” movement, Wendell Castle’s designs consistently blurred the lines between functional object and sculpture. In addition to showing in gallery exhibitions, his iconic works also reside in the permanent collections of MoMA, The Met, and the Smithsonian museums, among others.
A master sculptor, he pioneered a stack-laminate woodworking technique in the 1960s, and later bridged into brightly colored gel-coated plastic in the 70s. His work is characterized by bold, whimsical organic forms and biomorphic lines, with selectively employed color on boisterous and highly memorable furniture objects.
His 1969 Molar Coffee Table is a vibrant and voluminous piece that serves as a prime example of his cutting-edge design. Crafted from fiberglass in the signature, stack-laminate construction, the iconic furnishing is an ornament and a talisman unto itself.
Wendell Castle
Molar Coffee Table
1969
Fiberglass
39” x 34” x 22.5”
