This well-documented testament to Ward Bennett’s power as a designer is also a uniquely American success story. Edited by Elizabeth Beer and Brian Janusiak, the book, which explores the 50-year career of this autodidact, includes a philosophically sympatico foreword by designer John Pawson; a substantive biographical essay by Pilar Viladas, former design editor for The New York Times; and a 1973 interview with Paul Cummings, then-director of the Archives of American Art’s oral history project. The monograph is the first to chronicle Bennett’s prolific creative output, ranging from fashion, jewelry, and flatware to furniture, interiors, and architecture.
Readers unfamiliar with Ward Bennett’s name will quickly recognize his furniture as exemplary of a sleek, postwar modern style: his Tufted Lounge chair, Scissor chair, I-Beam tables, and H-Frame storage are all still produced by Herman Miller. His understated aesthetic included the University Chair, made for the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin. Famous for their clean, functional elegance, these designs are still being rediscovered by creative directors at such places as Bottega Veneta and Tiffany & Co.
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