Art met function at Dinner in the Deuce at Untitled ArtSpace. Referencing the historic Deep Deuce neighborhood where the gallery is located, this unique exhibition experience included over a dozen themed dinner tables created by artists from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. The exhibit showcased how practical objects can be viewed as artistic sculpture. The artists handcrafted everything from the silverware to the chairs to the tablecloths and their work blended the ingenuity and design that can be brought to everyday life.

Each of the tables had a separate theme and group of artists who brought their individual talents to their unique table. Their approaches to the simple concept of a table, chairs, plates, and utensils are a diverse combination of cultures and materials. The “Farmer’s Table,” for example, developed the idea of sustainability through the technique of “Himitsu-Bako,” a traditional Japanese puzzle box. The tables and chairs were made from reclaimed or recycled materials and the table runners and linens were woven from natural fibers. Another table, “Nights in White Satin,” was named after the famous Moody Blues song and had a swirled glass mosaic table illuminated by an LED light. “Modern Romantic” updated the idea of a picnic in the forest and incorporated natural elements like wood, clay, and water. Other tables included “Poised al Fresco,” which simulated dining underneath an Oklahoma Panhandle night sky, “Samurai Gothic,” which had the table hovering over a simulated koi pond, and “Drum Stick Dinette,” which was a cross between a drum kit and Russian nesting eggs.

The tables ranged from the elaborate to the delicate and reflected the different ways people share a meal. By bringing together a variety of artists to a single project, viewers saw how various artistic forms interact and how each artistic technique contributes to a cohesive setting. Dinner in the Deuce opened on January 11 and ran through February 23.

Artists: Jane Ford Aebersold, Nicki Albright, Kelly Gale Amen, Paul Bagley, Rick & Tracey Bewley, Andrew Boatman, Elyse Bogart, Barbara Broadwell, Rick Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Bill Byrd, Rachel Carpenter, Stan Carroll, Craig Clingan, Bernie Colbert, Kjelshus Collins, Denise Duong, Brian Fitzsimmons, Birthe Flexner, Kyle Golding, Margareta Grill, Suzette Hatfield, Sarah Hearn, Michael Hoffner, Brett Johnson, Brooke Madden, Randy Marks, Mike Mays, Ann McDermott, Andrea McMillan, Hugh Meade, Suzanne Mears, Jan Meng, Eddie Meyers, Jesús Moroles, Rachel Mosman, Don Narcomey, Larry Pickering, Kim Renteria, Kathy Reynolds, Klint Schor, Matt Seikel, Gayle Singer, Joe Slack, Sue Moss Sullivan, Cindy Swanson, Malia Tate, Gus Tietsort, Massimo Vignelli, David Wanzer, Jill Rumoshosky Werner, George Wilson, and Elia Woods.

Watch a video of the Dinner in the Deuce opening reception.

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