‘Have A Seat’ Miniature Chairs On View

 At Museum Of Arts & Design June 28

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“Club Chair,” 1940s, wood, 3 by 2 by 3¼ inches. — Richard Lombard, Material ConneXion Inc, photo

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‘HAVE A SEAT’ MINIATURE CHAIRS ON VIEW AT MUSEUM OF ARTS & DESIGN w/1 cut

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NEW YORK CITY — The Museum of Arts & Design will present furniture designer George Beylerian’s personal collection of miniature chairs — from the whimsical to the elegant — in the exhibition “Have a Seat! The Beylerian Collection of Small Chairs,” on view June 28–October 28. The more than 350 pieces on view were selected from the hundreds more that Beylerian, founder of Material ConneXion, has gathered over several decades.

“Have a Seat!” demonstrates the spectrum of creative expression found in this diminutive furniture form. Collected from around the world, these miniature chairs are made of twigs and plastic, ceramic and steel, and also include surprising materials such as theater ticket stubs, tin, raffia, gum wrappers, silk, wood, chrome, scrub brushes, buttons, yarn and stones, both real and faux.

From 1/2 to 12 inches high, they display both technical virtuosity and artistic creativity. They range from the functional, used by manufacturers for promotion, to the fantastic, created by artists and designers such as Ron Arad, Robert Ebendorf and Cheryl Riley, and unfettered by actual use.

“We are delighted to present these charming miniature chairs,” says Holly Hotchner, director of the Museum of Arts & Design. “This museum’s interest in materials and processes is directly reflected in George Beylerian’s compelling collection.”

Beylerian received his first miniature chair as a trade promotion gift. For several years, it lived on a shelf, eventually joined by a twig love seat, then several more. As his modest collection grew, he realized that he was developing “chairmania” and his obsession to find more and more chairs became an active quest.

Today, Beylerian’s collection numbers in the hundreds. Many he found in flea markets and antique shops around the world. Many more came from friends and colleagues, happy to have a reasons to gather these small and appealing treasures. He also inspired well-known architects and designers to create pieces for him.

In the world of miniatures, finely crafted chairs find a ready market with avid collectors. The endless variations presented in the exhibition are grouped in eight themes: Pretenders and Promoters, Americana, Outdoor, Twigs and Logs, Transformed Chairs, Flights of Fantasy: Artist and Designer Chairs, Small Comforts, Basic and Classic, Seats of Power, and Beylerian: Marketing European Design.

The museum is at 40 West 53rd Street. For information, www.madmuseum.org or 212-956-3535.