Please Sit for the Alternate Ending is an exhibition featuring the works of Jeff Martin and Sam Klemich at Objective Gallery. The exhibition draws inspiration from the concept of an “alternate ending” by using materials that often are deemed to no longer have value. The exhibition showcases both artist’s unique perspectives and methods of repurposing undervalued materials. Martin and Klemich designed interior pieces that challenge traditional design techniques by applying unconventional materials. Materials that are constantly overlooked by the industry and ultimately unconsidered or discarded during the production of other goods. The designers repurpose the selected materials, such as dead-stock fabrics and discarded driftwood, to create interior furniture pieces.
Sam Klemick’s designs are known for their lightness, symmetry, and geometry. She comes from a family of quilters and carpenters, and her passion for sustainable design started after seeing the wastefulness of the fashion industry as a former knitwear and textile designer. Her studio is now known for its circular methods and use of salvaged materials. Using her ancestral lineage as inspiration, Klemich creates heirloom pieces for the future. The Nap Chair and Chubby Stool are handcrafted with salvaged Douglas fir lumber and white canvas.
Jeff Martin is a contemporary sculptor and designer who explores the potential of culturally durable materials with a beginner’s mind. He questions traditional craft boundaries and balances precision and spontaneity to create works that explore life’s mysteries and the “impossible with a material.” His works include the Sarcophagus Console Table and the wall cabinet named Sarcophagus 12. Both are hand-sculpted out of stoneware, glaze, maple, and suede using traditional design techniques while remaining open to the unexpected. Both designers have incorporated texture and a playful perspective into traditional furniture pieces; my standouts include the XO Coffee Table by Klemich and the Sarcophagus Console Table by Martin.
