We dropped into the Gagosian Gallery on Madison to see the powerful exhibition ‘Franz West: Mobelskulpturen/Furniture Works’. West (1947-2012 Vienna) favored the viewing of art as an interactive experience – his aim was to transform galleries and public spaces into engaging aesthetic experiences. To this end he started creating the first ‘Passstuckel Adaptives’ (ergonomically inclined) objects in the 1970s and the public were invited to pick up the pieces and handle them. In the early 1980s West began to produce ‘everyday adaptives’ (chairs, divans, tables and lamps).

Transcending the established status of art as pure objects for contemplation, the furniture works in this exhibition were designed as constituents of sculpture which fulfill a practical function. We were encouraged to sit on the linen-covered chairs and divans (actually very comfortable!) and feel the cardboard legs of the tables. The rarified atmosphere of many exhibitions – the ‘look don’t touch’ element – was entirely removed fulfilling West’s objective.

These table legs were in fact cardboard tubes.

Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10075.