Twenty First Gallery is pleased to announce French designer Maurice Marty’s first solo exhibition in the United States. Boulon Age compiles twelve timeless new works made of bronze, steel, wood, and brass.
Marty's new contemporary design collection symbolizes the transition from the machine age ethos to what he calls post-modern irony. A common nut-and-bolt grows in size to become the perfect side table. A screw elongates into a column. James Kirk's captain's chair on the USS Enterprise is reworked as an elegant armchair. The pieces encourage the user to see the everyday ordinary through a creative lens.
The exhibition’s title "boulonnage", translated from French, means "bolting". Marty's work embodies a fascination with functionality, while simultaneously using scale to disrupt our consideration of typically utilitarian objects. For decades, Marty has been recognized as a visionary and a multi-faceted creator. With a body of work that spans from oil paintings, architecture, sculpture, and furniture design, he has distinguished himself as having a unique chimerical imagination.
Marty is a tireless inventor reminiscent of Snub Pollard in the “It’s a Gift” short film - his energy, humor, and experimental nature contribute directly to his success as a designer. He is guided by a willingness to take risks combined with an insatiable curiosity for how things work. The collection is also reminiscent of classic sci-fi film sets, serving as a crucial reminder that technology still holds as many promises today as it has in past centuries.