NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES
Issue II
Functional Furniture with Great Design
A set of vintage folding banquet chairs by Fritz & Co. recently passed through the studio. At first glance they appear to be simple hospitality furniture; practical folding chairs likely produced for hotel or banquet use. Yet a closer look reveals an unexpectedly thoughtful design.
Beneath the seat sits a striking X-brace support, a structural element that provides stability while also introducing a strong graphic presence. The seat panel rests slightly inset within the metal frame, creating a subtle floating seat effect that gives the chair a surprising visual lightness (and a wink to Danish Modern seating).
The gently arched crest rail and curved base stretcher soften the geometry of the tubular frame, while the warm brass finish and rust velvet upholstery add a touch of cozy drama. What might have been purely functional seating becomes something more sculptural, and comfortable.
These particular chairs illustrate a small but satisfying truth about design that I love; when an object is constructed with clarity and care, even the most practical furniture can possess true elegance.
Sometimes good design hides in ordinary places.
Sara
TAE
Issue I
The Object
Some works ask for attention immediately; others reveal themselves slowly. I am drawn to the latter. Objects that don’t announce their importance, but instead settle into the rhythm of a space and begin to shift how it feels to inhabit it. They don’t “catch” the eye, they steal it.
This particular work by Josef Albers, from the Formulation: Articulation series, has that quality. Often described as “minimal,” it is, to my eye, more architectural than reductive. Planes overlap, tones hover, and the composition resists a single fixed reading. It is a work built on discipline, exploration, and patience, one that rewards prolonged looking rather than immediacy.
Issued as part of a portfolio in 1972, it was conceived not as an isolated statement but as one element within a larger inquiry. That context matters. There is something grounding in encountering a work that was never meant to stand alone, but instead to quietly converse with others.
Sara
TAE