Floris Wubben “BRICK” exhibition of sculptural works and furniture at The Future Perfect

Thu, May 9 - Fri, Jun 21  2024

The Future Perfect, St. Luke’s Townhouse, New York

The Future Perfect is pleased to present BRICK, a solo exhibition of sculptural brick works and furniture by Netherlands-based artist Floris Wubben (b. 1983). Coinciding with FUTURE 400, BRICK draws material inspiration from the Dutch-made bricks that contributed to building New York City. BRICK will be on view from May 9–June 21, 2024 at the New York gallery location in Manhattan’s West Village. By appointment only, see here for more info.

BRICK marks a departure for Wubben from his usual ceramic practice. Inspired by his own heritage and the architectural heritage of New York—literally cemented in Dutch brick—Wubben explores the profound link between these two places’ diverging historical trajectories. Wubben’s BRICK also celebrates the extraordinary bond between New York and the Netherlands, a bond that exists well into the present. 400 years ago the Dutch West India Company brought 30 predominantly French Huguenot families on the ship, New Netherland, to establish the first Dutch settlement in America on Nutten (now Governors) Island off the southern tip of Manhattan. In the mid-19th century, the ancestors of those first Dutch settlers received bricks from their home country to use to construct the foundations of many New York buildings, some of which still stand today.

Included in BRICK is a chandelier, a bench, a desk, a chair, a stool, and a standing and wall mirror, all made of raw red clay and constructed using Wubben’s home-built extrusion machines. Fundamental to Wubben’s studio practice is the making of self-designed machines that emulate historic methods. Wubben’s extrusion method was inspired by past brick construction methods, combining extrusions with cement to create new shapes. The clay itself is extracted from Dollard Polder, located in the Northern province of the Netherlands, which has a naturally greasy composition thus making it easier for extrusion. The end result is the Groninger brick, which forms most of Wubben’s works in the collection.

“I love this collection from Floris because you can really feel the connection to his cultural heritage come through,” said David Alhadeff, founder of The Future Perfect. “BRICK speaks to the building blocks of New York City – where The Future Perfect started – and harkens back to Floris’ upbringing in the Netherlands. The pieces are very utilitarian and are a departure from what we usually see from Floris.”

Highlights of Wubben’s new collection include the chandelier, made of four extruded Groninger bricks connecting in elegant curves. The hanging fixture features six fluorescent lights, embedded in the hollows of the bricks’ open ends. Another highlight of BRICK is the bench, also formed in red Groninger brick and featuring curved elements.

“The discovery of the profound link between New York and Dutch bricks inspired this collection,” says Floris Wubben. “Even though the Groninger brick was not the type of brick exported from the Netherlands to New York in the past, the BRICK Project continues the tradition in a new way. It illuminates the extraordinary bond shared by New York and the Netherlands, celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship that defined this connection.”

About Floris Wubben

Studio Floris Wubben was founded in 2009 and is located in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The studio is renowned for its unique products that stand at the intersection of functional art and sculptural design. In recent years the studio has explored the extrusion of ceramics with custom-built machines. The combination of natural materials and the balance between the production method and the influence of the designer generates these distinctively shaped objects.

Studio Floris Wubben is constantly looking for new boundaries to explore, in both material characteristics and design possibilities, ever looking forward to new interpretations of the processes we’ve come acquainted with.

About The Future Perfect

Founded by David Alhadeff in 2003, The Future Perfect is one of the world’s foremost contemporary design galleries, distinguished by its range of vision and strong curatorial focus, which showcases studio-created works alongside one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces. In its 20-year history, the gallery has introduced highly collectible works by seminal design talents such as Lindsey Adelman, Jason Miller, Chris Wolston, Piet Hein Eek and many others. Acting as both a catalyst and an industry authority, The Future Perfect has forged relationships with some of the world’s most influential artists, designers, and craftspeople. The Future Perfect’s prestigious gallery program is tailored to each of its unique locations in North America, with a townhouse in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village, a residential complex in San Francisco’s luxurious Pacific Heights, and a recently unveiled residence in Los Angeles: the Goldwyn House. The Future Perfect’s site-specific collections adhere to Alhadeff’s original vision: the coalescence of playfulness, craftsmanship, and innovation. Shifting the borders between gallerist and merchant, curator and designer, Alhadeff and The Future Perfect continue to forge new pathways for artists and collectors alike, expanding their ardent community of creators and design enthusiasts.