Chris Wolston

Chris Wolston is an American artist and designer based in Brooklyn, New York and Medellín, Colombia. His playfully fabricated work--which spans furniture, lighting, seating, and accessories--rigorously blends traditional techniques and materials with a wry, contemporary realism, arriving at an entirely original postmodern aesthetic, imbued with charm and technical sophistication.
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Wolston’s interest in non-Western art-making traditions originated at the Kokrobitey Institute, in Accra, Ghana, where he studied before receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2009 from the Rhode Island School of Design. He later earned a Fulbright grant to study pre-Columbian ceramics inColombia. Invigorated by his exposure, Wolston opened a second studio in Medellín to continue his collaboration with local artisans and materials.

His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of American Glass, The Museo de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia, and the National Museum of Qatar. He was recently profiled in T Magazine, Architectural Digest, Galerie, Elle Decor Italia, Domino, and Surface Magazine.

He has created work for such brands as Fendi, Dior, and Philip Lim.

"After studying non-Western creative techniques in Ghana, Chris Wolston was awarded a Fulbright grant to fine-tune his craft in Colombia—a move that strongly influenced his artistic trajectory. The fresh-faced furniture designer, who splits time between studios in New York City and Medellin, now blends time-honored South American craftsmanship with his own brand of postmodern irreverence to mastermind highly detailed pieces that delight, confound, and always have us eagerly awaiting his next move."
-Ryan Waddoups, Surface Magazine

"Chris Wolston does not like to limit himself to one material. The Artist, who divides his time between Brooklyn and Medellin, Colombia, more commonly uses aluminum and terracotta or wicker in his work.... Wolston has anthropomorphised his pieces -- heads of chairs sprouting with cacti and armrests that wave at you."
-Tom Morris, New Wave Clay

"Like many artists before him, Chris Wolston has found plenty of inspiration in the great outdoors—stretching all the way back to his childhood in Providence, Rhode Island. “I’m a twin, and my twin and I were pretty different growing up. I had a little garden in my parents’ backyard, and when my brother would go play soccer on the weekends, I would stay home and work on my plants,” he says, laughing. “I wanted to be a landscape architect.”

Wolston’s career aspirations, however, transformed over time when he started working with materials a little more permanent than perennials. His collection for The Future Perfect is flush with “foliage”—made of aluminum, terracotta, and wicker. He is quickly becoming one of the most exciting furniture designers around, blurring the boundaries between outside and in, realism and fantasy, contemporary and pre-Columbian."
-Rebecca Deczynski, Domino Magazine.


 
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Commissions

Chris Wolston is versed in many production methods such as Sand Cast Aluminum, Laser Cut and hand worked Anodized Aluminum, Anodized Shear cut Aluminum, and Rattan, to name a few. In addition Chris Wolston is formally trained as a glass blower and ceramicist. The downloadable PDF is to describe these methods so as to inspire future works and collaborations. He is of course excited to and welcomes the idea of working in new ways. If you have an alternative material or process to propose for Chris please let us know. The below gallery of images shows previous examples of commissioned work.

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Click Here for PDF

EXHIBITIONS

MIAMI

Design Miami/ 2019

For Design Miami 2019, The Future Perfect recreated the gallery’s singular point of view in a booth that emphasized materiality - both natural and quixotic; experimental process; and a sense of the sublime. The booth -  designed with cool neutral walls and natural fiber flooring - set the stage for the gallery’s roster of collectible artists.
MIAMI

Design Miami/ 2019

For Design Miami 2019, The Future Perfect recreated the gallery’s singular point of view in a booth that emphasized materiality - both natural and quixotic; experimental process; and a sense of the sublime. The booth -  designed with cool neutral walls and natural fiber flooring - set the stage for the gallery’s roster of collectible artists.
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco

MESS: Expressionism and Experimentation in Contemporary Ceramics

The Future Perfect is pleased to present MESS, a group show of ceramic works by 32 international artists across 3 locations in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco

MESS: Expressionism and Experimentation in Contemporary Ceramics

The Future Perfect is pleased to present MESS, a group show of ceramic works by 32 international artists across 3 locations in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
LOS ANGELES

Forbidden Fruit

The Future Perfect is pleased to present an exhibition by Chris Wolston at Casa Perfect Los Angeles. Wolston has expanded on his celebrated Lost in Paradise collection with chairs, tables, mirrors, and lamps. Like earlier collections, the work has a puzzle-like feel featuring a constellation of intricate motifs that come together to create an exuberant visual impact.
LOS ANGELES

Forbidden Fruit

The Future Perfect is pleased to present an exhibition by Chris Wolston at Casa Perfect Los Angeles. Wolston has expanded on his celebrated Lost in Paradise collection with chairs, tables, mirrors, and lamps. Like earlier collections, the work has a puzzle-like feel featuring a constellation of intricate motifs that come together to create an exuberant visual impact.
MIAMI

DESIGN MIAMI/ 2018

For this year’s Design Miami, The Future Perfect once again dropped anchor in Florida with some of the most exciting names in collectible American design in tow.
MIAMI

DESIGN MIAMI/ 2018

For this year’s Design Miami, The Future Perfect once again dropped anchor in Florida with some of the most exciting names in collectible American design in tow.
BASEL

Design Miami/ Basel 2018

After three successful years showing at Design Miami/Art Basel Miami Beach, the Future Perfect debuted in Basel, Switzerland, with an ultra-successful design showcase featuring many of the most buzzed-about names in American design, many connected by their unique relationship and loyalty to their chosen material.
BASEL

Design Miami/ Basel 2018

After three successful years showing at Design Miami/Art Basel Miami Beach, the Future Perfect debuted in Basel, Switzerland, with an ultra-successful design showcase featuring many of the most buzzed-about names in American design, many connected by their unique relationship and loyalty to their chosen material.
NEW YORK

Lost in Paradise

For New York Design Week 2018, The Future Perfect presented two solo shows—each new work, each from a distinct voice—in one location. Chris Wolston showed a new collection of anodized and sand-cast aluminum furniture, exclusively made for The Future Perfect.
NEW YORK

Lost in Paradise

For New York Design Week 2018, The Future Perfect presented two solo shows—each new work, each from a distinct voice—in one location. Chris Wolston showed a new collection of anodized and sand-cast aluminum furniture, exclusively made for The Future Perfect.
MIAMI

DESIGN MIAMI/ 2017

For Design Miami 2017, The Future Perfect has presented a small group of process driven designers and artists who create work based on their unique relationship with, and fidelity to, their chosen material.

MIAMI

DESIGN MIAMI/ 2017

For Design Miami 2017, The Future Perfect has presented a small group of process driven designers and artists who create work based on their unique relationship with, and fidelity to, their chosen material.

THE PRESENT TENSE

The Present Tense
ON VIEW

New York Design Week 2018: Charles de Lisle & Chris Wolston

For New York’s design week, The Future Perfect’s Manhattan gallery space was transformed as an exuberant showcase for the new work of Colombia based artisan and furniture maker Chris Wolston and the debut of an extensive new lighting series by Charles de Lisle, produced exclusively by The Future Perfect.
The Present Tense
ON VIEW

New York Design Week 2018: Charles de Lisle & Chris Wolston

For New York’s design week, The Future Perfect’s Manhattan gallery space was transformed as an exuberant showcase for the new work of Colombia based artisan and furniture maker Chris Wolston and the debut of an extensive new lighting series by Charles de Lisle, produced exclusively by The Future Perfect.

C.V.

Education

2013   University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia, Fulbright Research Fellow
2009   Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Glass
2008   Kokrobitey Institute, Accra, GHANA
2005   The Wheeler School, Providence, Rhode Island

Awards & Residencies

2019    HotelTonight & Sight Unseen Design Residency, New Orleans, Luisiana
2018    Urban Glass Visiting Artist Fellowship, Brooklyn, New York
2018    Havana Design Workshop, Havana, Cuba
2015    The American Design Hot List
2014    Fulbright Research Fellow, Colombia, “Methods of Production in Colombian Material Culture”
2013    The Corning Museum of Glass, New Glass Review 34, Jurors’ Choice Selection, USA
2012    Creative Glass Center of America Fellow, Millville, New Jersey
2012    Campos de Gutiérrez, Medellin, Colombia, Artist in Residence
2007    Haystack School of Craft, Deer Isle, Maine Experimental Work with Hot Glass”

Select Exhibitions & Performances

2020     AGO Projects, Hola Aspen, Aspen, Colorado
2020     National Museum of Qatar, Qatar Creates, Doha, Qatar
2020     Dianne Rosenstein Gallery, King Dogs Never Grow Old, Los Angeles, California
2019     Design Miami, The Future Perfect, Miami, Florida
2019     R & Company, Chairs Beyond Right & Wrong, New York, New York
2019     The Future Perfect, Forbidden Fruit, Los Angeles, California
2019     The Future Perfect, The Chair, New York, New York
2019     Neotenic Design, A/D/O, Brooklyn, New York
2018     Fendi Peekaboo 10-Year Anniversary, Fendi, Miami, Florida
2018     Design Miami, The Future Perfect, Miami, Florida
2018     Fisher Parrish Gallery, The Ashtray Show, New York, New York
2018     Design Miami/Basel, The Future Perfect, Basel, Switzerland
2018     The Future Perfect, Lost in Paradise, New York, New York
2017     Design Miami, The Future Perfect, Miami, Florida
2017     Design Miami, Patrick Parrish Gallery, Miami, Florida
2017     Fisher Parrish Gallery, The Paperweight Show, New York, New York
2017     Patrick Parrish Gallery, Garden Party, New York, New York
2017     R & Company, Our Flag, New York, New York
2016     Design Miami, Patrick Parrish Gallery, Miami, Florida
2016     Hand Job Gallery, Bongo Bongo, New York, New York
2016     Collective Design, New York, New York
2016     99¢ Plus, The Lamp Show, New York, New York
2015     City Bird Gallery, Jonald Dudd, New York, New York
2015     OFFSITE, Burning Down the House, New York, New York
2015     Museum of American Glass, Creativity Ascertained, New Jersey, USA
2015     Work Release, Aglow, Norfolk, Virginia
2014     Museo de Antioquia, El Barro Tiene Voz, Medellín, Colombia
2014     Plecto Gallery, ESPACIO, Medellin, Colombia
2014     OFFSITE, Dream Motel, New York, New York
2014     Museum of American Glass, NJ350: Through the Lens of Glass, New Jersey, USA
2014     Paul Bardwell Contemporary Gallery, Mediations I, Medellín, Colombia
2014     Plecto Gallery, Strange Commonplace, Medellín, Colombia
2013     Palacio de la Cultura, Wax, Wane, Medellín, Colombia
2013     43rd (Inter) National Salon of Artists, Bailata Queer, Medellín, Colombia
2013     Chazan Gallery, Hope/Angell, Providence, Rhode Island
2013     Centro Cultural de la Facultad de Artes de la Universidad de Antioquia, You Can Dig a Hole in the Air, Medellín, Colombia
2013     NOHO Next, Hotel Ahn Nam, A Collaboration with Misha Kahn, New York, New York
2013     Plazarte, Launching of Espiga Curatorial Project, Medellín, Colombia
2012     Plazarte, The House is Set in its Own Park, Medellin, Colombia
2011     K-ARTS, Cherry Blossom Live Event by Jocelyne Prince, Seoul, South Korea
2011     The Gowanus Studio Space, Jell-O Mold Competition, Brooklyn, New York
2010     Glass Art Association of Canada (GAAC) Conference, Sonata de Verre, Montreal, Canada
2010     PS122, Vaginal Davis is Speaking From the Diaphragm, New York, NY
2010     Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD Glass Department Triennial, Providence, Rhode Island
2009     Toledo Museum of Art, Cirque de Verre, Toledo, Ohio
2009     Goggle Works Center for the Arts, Cirque de Verre, Reading, Pennsylvania
2009     Corning Museum of Glass, Cabin Fever 2300°, Corning, New York

Teaching, Lectures, Juries

2020     Guest Lecturer, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan
2020     Guest Critic, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan
2020     Guest Critic, Rhode Island School of Design Furniture Department final reviews, Providence, Rhode Island
2020     Guest Critic, Rhode Island School of Design Furniture Department midterm reviews, Providence, Rhode Island
2019     Guest Critic, Rhode Island School of Design Furniture Department final reviews, Providence, Rhode Island
2018     Teacher, Hot Casting And Neon Workshop, Urban Glass, Brooklyn, New York
2018     Visiting Artist, Havana Design Workshop, Havana, Cuba
2017      Panelis, Contemporary Ceramics and Process, Artsy, New York, New York
2016      Visiting Artist, Rhode Island School of Design, Glass Department