Wendell Castle Remastered is the first museum exhibition to showcase the digitally crafted works of Wendell Castle (1932–2018), the acclaimed figure of the American art furniture movement. A master furniture maker, designer, sculptor, and educator, Castle is now in the sixth decade of a prolific career that began in 1958—one that parallels the emergence and growth of the American studio craft movement. The exhibition is the largest yet of this internationally renowned artist and his groundbreaking achievements.
The exhibition will feature approximately 40 works of art, including several historically important examples that illustrate the innovations of his stack-lamination technique, and a few selections from his mold-form fiberglass experiments. These are the inspiration for the contemporary works that Castle has been creating with his state-of-the-art robot, which utilizes a process similar to his early stack-lamination carving, but with greater precision and complexity. Castle’s current studio practice combines handcraftsmanship—such as carving, rasping, and finishing—with digital technologies, including 3D scanning, 3D modeling, and computer-controlled milling. These new works will be installed in dialogue with the earlier pieces that inspired them.
Wendell Castle Remastered at the Memorial Art Gallery is an adaptation of the exhibition originally presented at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, in 2015.
This exhibition is made possible in Rochester by Presenting Sponsors Constellation Brands and the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery, with additional funding provided by Michael Jesselson, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Fund, and Nocon & Associates, A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Support is also provided by Canandaigua National Bank, the Anne and Ronald Abramson Family Foundation, the Rubens Family Foundation, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Judson, Jr.
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