Felipe Pantone and Etai Turn Furniture Into Kinetic Art

Artists Felipe Pantone and Etai Drori have launched their inaugural collaborative exhibition, titled "Parallel Practices: Tailored Structures & Kinetic Surfaces," at albertz benda's Los Angeles gallery. This exhibition, on display within the gallery's mid-century modern home, strategically juxtaposes Pantone's signature kinetic wall artworks with a newly developed collection of collaborative furniture pieces. The project deliberately avoids a complete fusion of their individual artistic styles, instead allowing each artist's distinct methodologies to remain apparent. This approach highlights the connection between Pantone's graphic systems and Etai Drori's focus on deconstruction, tailoring, and material craftsmanship. The genesis of this collaboration involved sourcing vintage mid-century furniture from various locations across Los Angeles. Etai Drori then employed digital mapping techniques to meticulously dismantle and reconstruct each furniture object. Concurrently, Felipe Pantone developed bespoke fabrics, which were subsequently produced by the renowned Italian textile manufacturer Limonta. Pantone's characteristic gradients, geometric patterns, and optical effects are translated from his wall installations onto the upholstered surfaces of the furniture. This application imbues the familiar design forms with a novel visual dynamism while carefully preserving their original structural integrity. Pantone's kinetic artworks serve as central focal points throughout the exhibition space. These pieces are characterized by their emphasis on repetition, vibrant color palettes, and the evocation of movement, reflecting Pantone's broader artistic inquiries into the circulation of images across both digital screens and physical environments. The chromatic systems and visual motifs established in Pantone's artworks are extended across the collaborative furniture, effectively transforming the gallery into a cohesive and interconnected environment rather than a mere assembly of disparate works. The artists conceptualize collaboration as a continuous dialogue between the processes of image creation, fashion, artisanal craft, and functional design. Through "Parallel Practices," they explore innovative ways in which art can be experienced, utilized, and integrated into daily life. The exhibition showcases how traditional furniture forms can be re-envisioned through the lens of contemporary optical art and advanced textile production, offering a fresh perspective on the intersection of art, design, and living spaces. The gallery's domestic setting in Los Angeles provides an intimate backdrop for this exploration of tactile and visual engagement with art and design objects.