‘Themselves’ is an exhibition of furniture and other objects that occupy the space between the boundaries of art and design, engaging with emerging Metamodernist discourse.

In ‘Notes on Metamodernism’ (2015) Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker define recent cultural developments as “characterized by the oscillation between a typically modern commitment and a markedly postmodern detachment”; a simultaneous embodiment of both sincerity and irony. It is in this context that it makes sense that a burgeoning Katie Stout would be involved in a furniture collaboration for the 2014 Whitney Biennial and the following year participate in a reality TV design competition [she won].

‘Themselves’ brings together designers whose work challenges normative conventions and practices. It presents individual critiques, identities and processes that collectively reconstruct the ways in which design and objects interact and exist in the world around them, a world that could benefit from a reconstructed outlook on boundaries and borders of all kinds.

This exhibition encourages embracing greater fluidity, replacing either-ors with both-ands. Works displayed are weird, awkward, impractical, absurd and logical complements for the times.

Curated by Briar Gill and J. Thomas Kim.

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‘Themselves’ is one of the many exhibitions and events happening at stackt as part of DesignTO 2020. See ‘Design Collection @ stackt‘ for details on a public opening and industry meet-up.