July 7, 2007
SUNDAY,
JULY 22 AT
1 P.M.
After 20 years of creative work in the Woodstock-Saugerties area, acclaimed sculptor John Kahn has sold his handcrafted “Tower House”, a remarkable structure that has been featured in prominent publications like Architectural Digest and on the Home and Garden Channel’s Extreme Homes.
Before re-locating to Easter Island the artist will offer his sculpture, specialty lighting, carved stone talismans and handmade furniture for sale at a no reserve, absolute auction co-sponsored by The James Cox Gallery at Woodstock and the Blue Mountain Bistro Catering Company.
The July 22 event will begin with a preview at 10 a.m., followed by the live auction, which will start promptly at 1p.m. The sale will be held at the popular Blue Mountain Bistro restaurant, located at the corner of Glasco Turnpike and Route 212, between Woodstock and Saugerties. According to Kahn, a portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to his Echo Foundation, which was established to benefit the people and culture of Easter Island.
A graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Visual and Circus Arts, the sculptor is well known for his whimsical constructions which utilize complex engineering principles and mixed materials. At age 20 his work caught the attention of Muppet creator and puppeteer Jim Henson who hired Khan to collaborate on a variety of special projects including the interior design of Henson’s Saugerties home. Kahn also worked with Henson’s son John to create “The Great Hot Air Balloon Circus” which was installed in the lobby of Henson’s Manhattan townhouse, better known as “Muppet House”. The project’s giant balloon may now be seen in the Disney Store on 5th Avenue in New York City.
It was during this period that Khan began to build his own circular, tower shaped house on a wooded property in Saugerties. A studio, sculpture garden and stone quarry are also located on the sprawling acreage. It took 17 years for the artist to complete the project, filling the house with his unique art and installing distinctive large sculpture throughout the grounds.
Kahn’s work has been shown in numerous galleries and exhibitions throughout the New York area, including the Adelphi University Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. One of Kahn’s entries in this prestigious venue was described by New York Times reporter Benjamin Genocchi as taking on “ big themes like life, death and impermanence”.
Twelve years ago the artist began traveling to Easter Island in the South Pacific where he became enthralled with the inhabitants, their ancestral art and their culture. He eventually established a special foundation to foster appreciation of the island’s history. Kahn also publishes a journal devoted to its art and plans to move to Easter Island permanently in 2007.
Khan has always been civic minded and has freely lent his expertise to various community projects, including collaborating on the annual Woodstock Christmas Eve celebration, where closely held secret apparatuses have transported (or catapulted) Santa Claus into the surprised crowd of holiday revelers gathered every year on the village green. His latest community fund raising project is the construction of the world’s largest skateboard, which was unveiled at the Saugerties 4th of July parade. The 32 foot behemoth was designed and built to exact scale and should break the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest skateboard ever built.
Works offered for sale at the July 22 auction include a series of sculpture crafted from steel, sand and silicone Khan describes as “string figures”. Of particular interest in this category is a depiction of the tightrope walker Phillip Petite, famed for negotiating a high wire strung between the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Handmade glassware, complex mobiles Kahn has titled “skimmers” and lanterns as well as stone sculpture will also be sold. A particularly stunning piece featured in the sale is Khan’s Easter Island Bed, with hand carved depictions of the island’s famous Moai heads mounted on the foot of the bed. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Echo Foundation, Khan explained.
Gallery owner James Cox is known throughout the region for his art expertise and success as an auctioneer. He agreed to take on the task of selling the array of original signed pieces Khan created for his Tower House and grounds. “This is an amazing opportunity for residents and collectors in the area to acquire a fine piece of Kahn’s artwork. This will never happen again,” Cox remarked.
Richard and Mary Ann Erickson, owners of the Blue Mountain Bistro and friends of Khan’s, will host the event, offering refreshments and a cash bar during the preview and sale. “John is a great friend and visionary. This is a chance to support him in his next endeavor,” Ms Erickson said. “We are truly looking forward to this exciting day.
A
complete auction catalogue will be posted on the gallery’s website at www.jamescoxgallery.com.
For more
information call the James Cox Gallery at 845-679-7608 or The Blue
Mountain
Bistro at 845-679-8517.