J.B. BLUNK IN L.A.

My husband and I saw a preview of the J.B. Blunk show at the Blum & Poe gallery in Culver City last week. J.B. Blunk (1926-2002) made eccentric furniture and beautiful wood sculptures from local redwood and cypress trees at his studio in Inverness California. The show has been curated by our friend Gerard O'Brien who runs the Reform Gallery in Los Angeles. Gerard has been showing Blunk's works at his shop for a number of years now. He's also showed some of Blunk's best pieces at Design Miami/Basel and Design Basel/Switzerland. Showing this work at Blum & Poe's spacious second floor gallery gives the viewer a chance to see this work in an uncluttered environment. You can see Blunk's work at its best in this spare installation.

The J.B. Blunk show opens tonight, March 12th and runs till May 15th.




A headboard with a place for a robe, a cup, and something to read




A Chair



This looks like a Hummingbird to me




There's something very tender about this piece



A Bed



Bed Detail



Portal



Beak, close up




“My way of working, the core of all my sculpture, is a theme, the soul the piece. Sometimes it is evoked by the material, sometimes it is an idea or concept in my own mind. It is always present, regardless of the material, size or scale of what will be the finished piece... Since I principally use a chainsaw to do this, it is a process that moves quickly. At times the cutting away and forming happen so fast it is almost unconscious… I suppose one could say I enter into a relationship with the material I am using and as in all relationships, there are opportunities for surprise.”

- J.B. Blunk, 1999