The Bookworm by Malia Jensen

An essay about Helen Mirra’s solo exhibition at The Whitney Museum of American Art describes her as “not merely a materialist . . . [Mirra] treats materials as if they had intimately observed and idiosyncratic personalities that she seeks to explicate.” For Shipped Bench, Mirra has taken the traditional and simple design of a common bench and treated the material with such reverence and care that it evokes a materiality that goes beyond its form into the elegiac and thoughtful realm of her art.

Shipped Bench is made from planks of reclaimed pallet wood that are methodically painted with an opaque deep grey milk paint and then sanded and painted again and again to achieve an unusual depth of color and an exquisitely silken surface texture. The minimal bench is solidly built but elegant in effect; and adorned with three, unattached square cushions made from Army surplus blankets.

Limited to 25 hand-made examples, each bench is branded with the artist’s signature and edition number and varies slightly in length and width as determined by the found pieces of wood.

Please allow 8 – 12 weeks for delivery.

Find your swagger and coronate yourself with the Artware-exclusive mirror celebrating Basquiat's trademark crown and an excerpt of text in the artist's own handwriting taken from his prolific writings.  Line your reflection up with the crown and let the text inspire you to become the best version of yourself out on the streets.  The 24" diameter mirror comes ready to hang with a simple wooden mounting bracket.

The text, which reads "It all depends who you are on what street," comes from one of the artist's notebooks from the 1980s which were recently published in facsimile by Princeton University Press.  From the publisher, "The notebooks are filled with images and words that recur in Basquiat's paintings and other works. Iconic drawings and pictograms of crowns, teepees, and hatch-marked hearts share space with handwritten texts, including notes, observations, and poems that often touch on culture, race, class, and life in New York. Like his other work, the notebooks vividly demonstrate Basquiat’s deep interests in comic, street, and pop art, hip-hop, politics, and the ephemera of urban life. They also provide an intimate look at the working process of one of the most creative forces in contemporary American art.

This skateboard deck comes ready to hang with mounting hardware and instructions and is part of a limited edition of 500. The top print features a printed signature.

‘Women Are Heroes’ is a project launched by JR to tell the stories of those who are often the first to be harmed in situations of conflict: women. By revealing the unspoken grief of these unsung heroes, JR explores the commonalities that exist in their gaze, and ultimately seeks to discover what unifies us all is humanity. Despite the harshness they have endured, he exposes the light and hope that still exists within them.

When the project launched, JR promised to share their stories with the world – a promise he has since kept, and that we are grateful to continue through the release of these editions.

Our partners at The Skateroom, who collaborated with the artist's estate to make this edition, donate a significant part of their profit to support social initiatives that make the world a better place. 

Produced in collaboration with Pendleton Mills, this Artware limited edition reversible blanket designed by Mickalene Thomas is a warm blend of wool and cotton.  It's perfect as a throw, a bed covering for a full or queen-sized bed, or a wall hanging. A sewn-on, suede patch signed and numbered by the artist accompanies each blanket.

The Lena blanket was released in 2014 and has been featured in Elle Decor and Casa Vogue.