First Comprehensive Show of Ebner’s Work Presented at Moderne Gallery in Philadelphia.

From April 25th through June 30, 2014 Philadelphia’s Moderne Gallery will hold a major exhibition of the furniture of David N. Ebner, a leading figure in the American Studio Furniture Movement.

Moderne Gallery has represented Ebner’s vintage and contemporary work for over ten years, but this will be the first comprehensive show of the designer’s work, presenting an overview of his past 50 years.

The exhibit coincides with the publication of the book David Ebner: Studio Furniture by Nancy Schiffer.

An opening reception and book signing with David Ebner will be held on Friday, April 25 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Moderne Gallery, 111 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA  19106. 

A master woodworker, David Ebner makes what he calls “antiques of the future.”  He creates furniture and sculptural objects that bridge the boundary between art and design, executed in the finest woods and bronze.

Over 60 pieces will be on display at Moderne Gallery, including chests, stools, chairs, mirrors, desks, benches, consoles and even a menorah. 

Ebner, who lives in Bellport, NY, studied at the prestigious School for American Craftsmen at Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, and was taught by one of the best-known members of the Studio Furniture Movement, Wendell Castle.  Ebner’s work was nationally recognized in 1975 with the inclusion of his walnut stool in the permanent collection of the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution's National Gallery of Fine Art in Washington, D.C.

The counterculture of the 1960’s created a demand for new, non-mass produced furniture leading to the American Studio Furniture Movement. The rejection of mass-production created a momentum for training in applied arts and supported studios set up for one-of-a-kind object production. Along with Wendell Castle, the best-known figures in the movement include George Nakashima, Wharton Esherick, Sam Maloof and Arthur Espenet Carpenter.  David Ebner is a “descendant” of these visionary craftsmen and a master in his own right.

Moderne Gallery, the American gallery most associated with promoting American Studio Furniture, has showcased all of these designers over the past 30 years. Under the direction of Robert and Joshua Aibel, the Gallery continues to seek out and present the finest vintage and contemporary studio craft works.

Of Ebner’s work, Robert Aibel, the gallery’s founder, and the leading proponent of American Studio Furniture notes, “Ebner’s work is work for the future.  It is exciting to present David’s sculptural furniture as he is constantly developing his ideas and styles in fascinating ways. He has forged a style of his own and has never stopped evolving. The designs will always be fresh and classic and will likely influence generations to come.”