Modern Craft : Merchant House NYC

"a group of designers working with modern craft techniques — including Paul Loebach, Kyle Garner of Sit and Read, Louis Lim, Nine Stories Furniture, and Colgate Searle — have infiltrated the house’s time-capsule interior with a beautiful juxtaposition of contemporary objects."

all photography by David John

Re·side: verb - "To be inherently present; exist, a state of continuation"

The Merchant House in NYC on East Fourth Street was built in 1832, and was home to the Tredwells, a wealthy merchant-class family who resided from 1835 to 1933 in the home. The late Federal style exterior and Greek revival interior rooms of the residence have been preserved as a house museum for over 75 years. The home is a National Historic Landmark, and is open to the public.

Jill Singer and Monica Khemsurov of Sight Unseen, hosted Noho Design District and organized "Modern Craft" asking contemporary designers to "infiltrate the house’s time-capsule interior with a beautiful juxtaposition of contemporary objects." Paul Loebach, Kyle Garner of Sit and Read, Louis Lim, Nine Stories Furniture, and Colgate Searle installed their works on all three levels of the home.

As I traveled up the stairs of the home, the floor boards giving into my weight, light reverberating through the window frames onto the newly placed works, I imagined the Tredwells coming into their home 150 years later, viewing these works for the first time. What do these "modern craft" objects say about our present culture? The Merchant House provided space to begin a conversation about these works and their contemporary context. The contemporary and historical works combined with the light of late afternoon, reminded me of a melody, a song of sorts: "Disappearing Objects" by composer Christian Kleine. Take a moment, listen here.

Kyle Garner's (of Sit and Read in Brooklyn) elegant chair, an overdyed faded green into yellow sling chair constructed with a Persian rug was a painting onto itself, simply supported by a wire frame. In another room, Louis Lim's Star Knot, made of knotty pine plywood, maple, and solid paine end grain, rested silently, twisted by the window, in complete synergy with the nearly 200 year old floor planks, and the frame of the bed.

The Merchant House has recently been threatened with towering new development. Please sign the petition here to help preserve this historical landmark, so that it does not disappear.- David John