Misha Kahn Unveils All Intensive Purposes Exhibition in New York
Designer Misha Kahn marks ten years with Friedman Benda by exhibiting radical furniture and sculptures that transform marble into fabric at 515 West 26th Street.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Misha Kahn presents his latest exhibition All Intensive Purposes at Friedman Benda.
- The show marks a ten-year collaboration milestone between the designer and the gallery.
- Featured works include sofas resembling paintings and marble consoles shaped like fabric.
- The exhibition is located at 515 West 26th Street in New York City.
Renowned artist and designer Misha Kahn has returned with a radical collection of furniture and sculpture for his latest exhibition titled All Intensive Purposes, hosted at Friedman Benda located at 515 West 26th Street in New York City. This major presentation marks a significant milestone, celebrating ten years of ongoing collaboration between Kahn and the esteemed gallery.
Throughout the exhibition, Kahn showcases his deep fascination with material experimentation and the unpredictable nature of the creative process. Moving away from purely computer-generated digital experimentation seen in some of his earlier pieces, the new works reflect a renewed focus on tactile methods, reshaping familiar domestic objects into unexpected artistic forms.
Kahn's artistic approach often bridges the gap between functional design and fine art sculpture, echoing contemporary postmodern sensibilities. By manipulating rigid materials like heavy marble to mimic soft, draped fabric, or translating flat paintings into dimensional upholstered furniture, he challenges viewers to rethink the physical boundaries and traditional utility of everyday household objects.
Key highlights of the creation process for his upholstered works involve specific steps:
- Beginning with an initial painted composition of various shapes and colors.
- Translating the artwork into wool with the help of textile studio JG SWITZER.
- Reconstructing the original painted arrangement across the irregular upholstered surfaces during furniture assembly.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The exhibition also features an abstract video sequence portraying the repetitive cycle of making, taking apart, and reassembling objects, alongside custom-designed plastic bottles that visually interpret the exhibition's title. Additional highlights include the Azimuth 90 mirrors made from ceramic and glass frames, and dining tables blending metal, stone, and glass.
"I wanted to make this video, like, a really abstract version of what it feels like to make objects."
Misha Kahn
Source: designboom
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