Steven Volpe's '(dec)curation' Transforms R & Company Through 10/18

R & Company is pleased to present (dec)curation, an exhibition curated by Steven Volpe, Founder and Principal of the San Francisco-based design firm, Steven Volpe Design. For this exhibition, Volpe explores the concept of (dec)curation through arrangements of objects and furnishings from R & Company's comprehensive collection of iconic historical and contemporary works. The exhibition is on view through October 18, 2014.

In his practice, Steven Volpe approaches design, art, and architectural space with the same careful consideration. He refers to them as the "trifecta," and believes that the basis of good interior design is derived from balanced attention to these three elements. In his furniture arrangements, careful study of the occupant's movements and interactions is balanced with his eye for unusual combinations of furniture. Art and furniture selections are made with careful attention to the history and lineage, in addition to the beauty and uniqueness of the piece. Interior, architectural, and custom furniture detailing are approached with the same sustained attention to the craftsman's hand and tradition.

The concept of (dec)curation references Volpe's richly inventive approach to transforming sources. With a wealth of knowledge about the history of decoration to draw from, he reinterprets classical techniques, adding a modern twist to well-known and loved furniture pieces. The exhibition re-contextualizes works such as classic Brazilian seating by Joaquim Tenreiro from R & Company's collection by recovering pieces in a modern bespoke fabric by Brooklyn based textile artist Tara Chapas.

Another aspect to (dec)curation is Volpe's approach to the built environment. For R & Company, Volpe radically alters the gallery by adding subtle architectural interventions and hanging a series of art pieces by artist Jeff Zimmerman from the ceilings and walls throughout the gallery. Through so doing he introduces an element of surprise and subverts assumptions as to what a home can be, blurring the boundaries between, and giving equal weight to art, furniture and the built environment.

"Possessing extensive knowledge and connoisseurship in furniture design and contemporary art has allowed Volpe to bring depth to his interiors," says Evan Snyderman, "It is something rarely seen and the immediate response is the sense of decades of collecting."