R 20th Century celebrates 10 Years in Tribeca

The front of the gallery at 82 Franklin Street in New York
The front of the gallery at 82 Franklin Street in New York's Tribeca neighbourhood. The neon 'R' was picked up at an auction by Meyers and Synderman around the time of the opening and thought it looked so good in the window they made it the name of the gallery.
(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

It's no doubt that the last ten years has seen an extraordinary shift in how the world views design. A decade ago it was only a small number of us who craved mid-20th century design, today it can feel like a global obsession. At the very heart of this decade of design is the R 20th Century gallery in Tribeca, where owners Evan Synderman and Zesty Meyers, have seen this shift in design unfold in front of their very eyes.

To celebrate clocking up ten hugely eventful and successful years at their Franklin street location, the gallery's current show (which runs till 4th June) looks back on the exhibitions and projects undertaken over the course of its tenure in Tribeca. As such, curators Evan and Zesty have mixed historical and contemporary designers, with work from Wendell Castle, Hugo França, Greta Magnusson Grossman, Poul Kjærholm, Verner Panton, Sergio Rodrigues, David Wiseman and Jeff Zimmerman.

In addition, highlights from the show include rare and never-before-seen photographs by Wendell Castle and Julius Schulman, drawings by Greta Magnuson Grossman, prints by Robert Burle Marx and a selection from R's extensive library of antiquariian design books.

Also available is a catalogue to accompany the show, with images from the gallery's archives as well as interviews with Meyers and Synderman reviewing the gallery's history. Starting from the early days when the partners were showcasing and collecting mid 20th century furniture at flea markets up and down the East coast, to the time the two decided they needed a permanent space – 'We wanted to have a space for exhibitions and to work with other people in the arts to create connections and a bigger outreach.' explains Meyers, while Synderman adds 'We also wanted to find a way to help preserve the history of mid-century design with exhibitions, a library and by building a permanent collection' – through to today when the gallery regularly attracts huge crowds to their openings and is not only a fixture of downtown Manhattan, but global design art in general.

Visual ephemera from the past ten years at R 20th Century

'10 Years in Tribeca'
Visual ephemera from the past ten years at R 20th Century, including photographs by Julius Shulman, selected photographs from the archives of Wendell Castle, unique drawings by designers Greta Magnusson Grossman, Joaquim Tenreiro and Sergio Rodrigues as well as gallery invitations designed by Lisa Steinmeyer.

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Elephant skull, from the Belgian Congo circa 19th century

'10 Years in Tribeca'
Elephant skull, from the Belgian Congo circa 19th century; unique dining table with birds-eye maple top, by Wendell Castle, 1978; scuptural wall-mounted installation of approx. 35 pieces of glass, by Jeff Zimmermann, 2010; 'Janaina' sculpture in pequi wood by Hugo França Brazil, 2007. 

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Vintage chairs and vintage lighting

'10 Years in Tribeca'
Vintage chairs by Ilmari Tapiovaara and vintage lighting and chairs designed by Verner Panton.

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Room includes ’VP Globe’ hanging lamp, Fun 6 DM’ hanging lamp, ’Spectrum’ fabric with gradations of purple in a checkerboard pattern

'10 Years in Tribeca'
'Spectrum' fabric with gradations of purple in a checkerboard pattern. Designed by Verner Panton for Mira-X, Switzerland, 1973. 'VP Globe' hanging lamp, by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen, Denmark, 1975. 'Fun 6 DM' hanging lamp with one large cluster of suspended shell chains, by Verner Panton for J. Luber AG, Switzerland, 1964.

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Collection of lights

'10 Years in Tribeca'
A selection of work by Wendell Castle

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

’The Wilman Chair’, ’Lukki’ stool , ’Lukki 5’ chair

'10 Years in Tribeca'
'The Wilman Chair' designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Finland, 1956. This example was Tapiovaara’s personal studio chair and retains unique markings by the designer; 'Lukki' stool with bent plywood seat and metal handle/back rest designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Finland, circa 1954; 'Lukki 5' chair with arms in original condition designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Finland, 1956.

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Room includes tables, chairs, hanging lamp etc

'10 Years in Tribeca'
Works by Greta Magnusson Grossman, Poul Kjaerholm, Renate Müller, Jeff Zimmerman and Hugo França.

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Room includes sofa, table, stool, cupboard, staircase

From R 20th Century's archives
The very first exhibition, 'Made to Measure: UMS-Pastoe and Cees Braakman: 1949-68', curated by Zesty Meyers and Evan Synderman, 2000

(Image credit: Photograph courtesy of R20th Century)

Chairs in different size and shape

From R 20th Century's archives
'Ilmari Tapiovaara, Interior Architect' curated by Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman, 2001

(Image credit: Photograph courtesy of R 20th Century)

Room includes 2 chairs, table, carpet, lamp

From R 20th Century's archives
'Ilmari Tapiovaara, Interior Architect' curated by Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman, 2001

(Image credit: Photograph courtesy of R 20th Century)

’Hung: A Century of Coat Racks’

From R 20th Century's archives
'Hung: A Century of Coat Racks', curated by Evan Snyderman & Zesty Meyers, exhibition design by Claudia Dias, 2001

(Image credit: Robert Polidori)

Room includes bed, chair, table, rhino stool

From R 20th Century's archives
'Selldorf Designs' , curated and designed by Annabelle Selldorf, 2007

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Chairs, table, hanging lamp in black and white colour

From R 20th Century's archives
'Selldorf Designs' , curated and designed by Annabelle Selldorf, 2007

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

’AutoPlastic: Wendell Castle

From R 20th Century's archives
'AutoPlastic: Wendell Castle 1968-1973', curated by Evan Synderman and Zesty Meyers, 2008

(Image credit: David Leventi)

’AutoPlastic: in blue colour Wendell Castle

From R 20th Century's archives
'AutoPlastic: Wendell Castle 1968-1973', curated by Evan Synderman and Zesty Meyers, 2008

(Image credit: David Leventi)

’Sticks, Stones, Bones’

From R 20th Century's archives
'Sticks, Stones, Bones' curated and designed by Michael Reynolds, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Made with ’Sticks, Stones, Bones’

From R 20th Century's archives
'Sticks, Stones, Bones' curated and designed by Michael Reynolds, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

’Hugo França: The Story of the Tree’

From R 20th Century's archives
'Hugo França: The Story of the Tree', curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meryers, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

All art pieces made with wood

From R 20th Century's archives
'Hugo França: The Story of the Tree', curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meryers, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Lounge, 2 wall hanging made with wood

From R 20th Century's archives
'Hugo França: The Story of the Tree', curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meryers, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Unique lounge design made with wood

From R 20th Century's archives
'Hugo França: The Story of the Tree', curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meryers, 2008

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

Contemporary Korean Design

From R 20th Century's archives
Contemporary Korean Design curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meyers and P.J. Park, 2010

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)

All art pieces inspired by Contemporary Korean Design

From R 20th Century's archives
Contemporary Korean Design curated by Evan Synderman, Zesty Meyers and P.J. Park, 2010

(Image credit: Sherry Griffin)