Silas Kopf
Silas Kopf is an American artist with a high profile for his marquetry he is an example of someone that seems very engaged with the practice it's tradition and history. With a degree in architecture his wood working came later, discovering marquetry whilst working in various workshop situations for other people.
Kopf's work is essentially commercial applying his marquetry to all sorts of furniture, cabinet making in general being an important theme underlying what he does and that specific tradition. I like fact that this can be related to a background in an architecture where the construction of a utilitarian object was the main objective, underpinned by drawing. Thinking about this in relation to kopf's furniture production connections are definitely apparent. Kopf has a market for his work and makes things to sell. Despite this he does sit on the fence a little in terms of his art although he doesn't seem to care too much, essentially calling himself a craftsmen and making his own admission that his work will never be acknowledged as avant garde.
I ‘think I'm a good craftsman and that what I do is interesting because of the level of skill that goes into it, and that if somebody finds some art content in it, either that it's an interesting furniture design or there is an interesting pictographic concept, so much the better' Kopf
(Actually reading interviews with various people involved with the Marquetry society in the UK they generally seem indifferent to whether they are called artists or craftsmen or if what they do is Art or craft which is probably a good thing.)
Working in the ‘trompe l’oiel' tradition Kopfs pieces ranges from the satisfying trickery of table tops to some things that are downright weird (Betty Boo having sex with a peanut??) From what I have seen I note a struggle with the aesthetic and the subject, particularly the portraiture which some of the more bizarre works play on, but not to undermine a certain originality. I like the way he talks about his work though and his discipline and respect for his craft of which he is clearly amongst the elite in terms of skill.
http://www.silaskopf.com/index.html
The website seems to illustrate commercial stuff and I think there are more interesting images of his work elsewhere. Various things I have read lead to interesting questions and considerations however…….
‘can you really get emotional content out of it that surpasses just the awesomeness of the fact that it is done in wood? I'm always fighting-not fighting that, but that is a thing that I think about. Seduction of the material and technique' Kopf
This relates to how I can't seem to detach myself from having to relate the content of marquetry to wood as a material, the fundamental struggle of subject matter. It is interesting that someone in Kopfs position mentions this and also how the skill and material tends to takes priority over the content.
Kopf also seems actively engaged with issues of sustainability and ecology surrounding working with tropical timbers. Something I haven't really written about but that is a question that seems to be raised within the practice and is increasingly relevant.
Having studied in Europe and practicing marquetry professionally for many years Kopf is a central figure in the continuation of the precision of the craft of marquetry. Work for Steinway Pianos illustrates this and he seems to be out on his own in a way in terms of his market and profession. He also provides some interesting reference points in the way of Art nouveau artists whose work he has been influenced by.
