Katie Stout (b. 1989) makes work that is a caricaturization of furniture as it is traditionally understood. She utilizes a diverse range of media often unexpected techniques to make sculptures of furniture and household objects. Stout’s subtly subverts utilitarian forms and functions to create an experience that pushes just past the threshold of what is comfortable- encouraging her audience to consider elements of the so-called deranged and demented in their everyday lives. Her work disarming in its simultaneous sense of dark irony and joyful celebration. Stout’s intention is to peel back some of the layers of seriousness often associated with the concept of design as well as the melodrama of family household life. The pieces are meant to be well-used, elevating the idea of “wear and tear” as a welcome part of each work’s narrative. Stout’s career highlights include her “Bedroom Curio” exhibition at Design Miami 2015; a furniture collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard for his installation at the 2014 Whitney Biennial; winning the first season of “Ellen’s Design Challenge” in 2015; being listed in Forbes “30 Under 30” in 2017; and collaborating with Jeremy Scott on this F/W 2018 collection. Her work was featured in the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara’s 2017 exhibition, “Free Play” and is in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Dallas Art Museum.
Born in Portland, Maine, Stout grew up in New Jersey and holds a BFA from RISD, where she also taught last spring. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Katie Stout