Collection Bench

Bench

Wendell Keith Castle American, 1932 - 2018
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About the Artwork

In 1986 the DIA commissioned furniture artist Wendell Castle to fashion a bench for the museum's permanent collection. Castle creates work that continually challenges accepted attitudes about the design, construction, and purpose of furniture. The aluminum framework was the first element constructed. Castle then began carving the armrests in the middle of the bench and the six legs from stack-laminated forms. The outer portions of the arms are constructed using lamination in which small pieces of wood are arranged in formations like brick walls to strengthen the joints.

Bench

1988

Wendell Keith Castle

1932 - 2018

American

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Amaranth (purpleheart), aluminum, and cowhide

Overall: 35 × 129 3/4 × 48 inches (88.9 cm × 3 m 29.6 cm × 121.9 cm)

Furniture

Contemporary Art after 1950

Founders Society Purchase with funds from Art of Poland Associates

1988.19

Copyright Not Evaluated

Markings

Engraved, at the outside bottom of one of the central legs

Provenance

the artist;
1988-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

Please note: This section is empty

The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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Published References

Bulletin of the DIA 64, no. 2/3 (1988): p. 33 (fig. 22).

Taragin, Davira. "Evolution of a Commission: a Wendell Castle Bench." Bulletin of the DIA 65, no. 1 (1989): pp. 49-59 (ill.).

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Wendell Keith Castle, Bench, 1988, amaranth (purpleheart), aluminum, and cowhide. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase with funds from Art of Poland Associates, 1988.19.

Bench: Main View of Collection Gallery

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