Devin Wilde Makes Monumental Moves With Venerable Ceramic Furniture

Artist Devin Wilde returns with his sophomore collection, Series No. II, in a showcase of ceramic furniture comprising cocktail and side tables.

The plinths, pedestals, and socles that once served the world’s greatest temples – showcasing fine sculptures, fire bowls, and glyptic designs – are precursors to ceramicist Devin Wilde’s first collection of ceramic furniture entitled Series No. II. On the heels of his successful inaugural launch, the maker scales his practice up and shifts focus from tabletop vessels to the venerable bases that support them. His pious approach treats these furnishings as elements integral to daily rituals in dialogue with the objects they often display.

“The aesthetic of Greek and Roman classicism, specifically as it relates to the ceremonious, is central to my aesthetic and evermore present in this collection. The dimension of these pieces lends itself perfectly to creating altars,” Wilde affirms. “I wanted to design artifacts that could be part of daily rituals, an integral component of the home.”

His intention behind Series II and the function of its beauty mirrors that of painters, photographers, and collage artists who consider the frame integral to the overall composition and the audience experience while viewing it. The grouping proclaims its presence most loudly through whimsical forms that celebrate its own identity as much as it serves the activity atop it. With four primary silhouettes, solutions include five side or end tables and three for cocktail service.

“I think my background in architecture – having learned to design with a level of empathy, keeping human interaction front of mind – was very helpful in developing pieces that are more integrated into daily life than a vessel alone might be.”

Now presented as more monumental, a handful of editions reference their vessel counterparts: Side Table No. I is highly animated in an Art Deco, near-Memphis-style composition that balances geometric shapes in a series of solid triangular volumes and void, tubular extrusions; cylindrical Side Table No. III carries the most visual weight with substantial girth tempered by vertical ribbing that terminates in ball finials; and Cocktail Table No. IV, available in two heights, echoes the same column design as its sibling reworked with a flat capital.

But Table No. II emerges with a new silhouette that bridges any visual gap within Wilde’s now iconic sculptural language. Available in two heights, the tall rectangular base elevates its bowl-like topper for a museum-quality display. And with four ball finials, one accentuating every corner, the embellishment is complete.

Modern, minimalist design, as with ceramics, requires careful calibration through an iterative process balancing attributes like proportion, shape, color, and line work – anything less rigorous would result in something reductive. Here, material adds another layer of challenge for Wilde to solve when fully realizing his concepts. Internal clay structures act as trusses and buttresses within Series II to support the flat surfaces, fine geometry, and considerable weight of its larger forms.

Patience, however, may be the most important aspect regarding this collection, which the artist admits has been an ambition prior to his first release. Vessels marked the first step in experimentation on the way to furniture.

“It’s been affirming to hear that people see and appreciate the evolution from my debut collection to Series No. II,” adds Wilde. “When they see how there’s an aesthetic throughline but also a big step in a new direction.”

For more information on Devin Wilde and Series No. II, visit devinwilde.com.

Photography by Eric Petschek.
Styling by Anthony Amiano with styling assistance by Kelly Burke.