Giancarlo Valle and Rob Wilson - Design New York Wednesday, June 9, 2021 | Phillips

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  • Catalogue Essay

    The BOOKMARC Furniture
    A suite of benches and side tables by Giancarlo Valle and Rob Wilson to raise funds for the LGBT Community Center, New York City
    A project curated by Dung Ngo

    In June 2020, New Yorkers joined in nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice. As a sign of solidarity, design curator Dung Ngo commissioned Rob Wilson to paint a mural on the boarded storefront of Marc Jacobs’ Bookmarc, based on the theme of “Unity Through Books.” Now, as New York City begins to open again, the mural has been transformed—in order to make a contribution towards the advancement of equity for and inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming people of color.

    In May 2021, Ngo commissioned the architect/designer Giancarlo Valle to create unique furniture pieces from the mural plywood boards. Composed of two benches and a pair of end tables, the suite of furniture pieces play off Wilson’s graphic elements, and continue the “upcycling” of the plywood boards.

    The furniture pieces will be auctioned by Phillips Auctioneers in their June 9 New York Design sale, with the funds benefitting RiseOut: the Activist-in-Residence Fellowship at New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. RiseOut is a new advocacy and community mobilization program that works to achieve justice and equity for all LGBTQ New Yorkers by supporting the next generation of Black, Indigenous, and other leaders of color who are advancing opportunities for LGBTQ+ communities.

    This project is a collaboration between Rob Wilson (artist), Giancarlo Valle (designer), and CainCain Studio (fabricator) and organized by Dung Ngo, along with the participation of the teams at Bookmarc, Marc Jacobs and Phillips, all of whom have donated their time and talent to bring this extraordinary and joyful collaboration to fruition.
    Says Marc Jacobs about the project, “We’re excited to introduce these amazing pieces by Giancarlo Valle, who took the impactful artwork by Rob Wilson and reimagined them in a way that allows the message of equality to live on.”

    About Bookmarc
    In 2010, as bricks and mortar bookstores were disappearing from the global landscape Marc Jacobs opened its first Bookmarc store on Bleecker Street in New York's West Village. Shortly thereafter the concept expanded to Paris, London, and Tokyo, stocking photography, fine art, fiction, music, pop culture and rare titles. Artists, authors and icons including Carine Roitfeld, Nan Goldin, Richard Hell, Grace Coddington, and Anjelica Huston have sought out Bookmarc as a first-choice venue for book launches with friends and fans, who line the block to greet and celebrate new releases.

Funds benefitting RiseOut: the Activist-in-Residence Fellowship at New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

97

Unique bench

2021
Plywood, paint.
41 3/4 x 75 1/2 x 19 1/4 in. (106 x 191.8 x 48.9 cm)
Executed by CainCain Studio, Brooklyn, New York.

Estimate
$4,000 - 6,000 

Sold for $2,142

Contact Specialist

DesignNewYork@phillips.com
212-940-1268

Design

New York Auction 9 June 2021