10/07/2026
A glimpse into the story of Christopher Kurtz’s Linenfold Armoire featured in our new book!
The Linenfold Armoire is a piece of furniture in the guise of draped fabric, inspired by the quote “Does there exist a single dreamer of words who does not respond to the word wardrobe?” from Gaston Bachelard’s book ‘The Poetics of Space.’ The linenfold carving that characterizes the piece is a technique inspired by the Gothic or Perpendicular architectural style of the late Middle Ages. Linenfold carving was at its height in the wake of the Black Death. It is a relatively austere style, perhaps growing in popularity due to a shortage of craftspeople, but also reflecting “the gravity of mortality and loss.” Kurtz completed his Linenfold Armoire in 2020 amidst the isolation and loss of the COVID-19 pandemic. The wardrobe stands as a monument to that time – to its connection with the medieval – while also transcending it.
Read more about the Linenfold Armoire in Glenn Adamson’s essay in Handwork: Handcrafted Objects That Made America book, available for purchase at Phaidon.com. Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026
Christopher Kurtz’ career-spanning solo exhibition is currently on view at Sarah Myerscough Gallery in London until November 7, 2026. Linenfold Armoire (Perpendicular Style), 2020, Christopher Kurtz (b.1975), Basswood, milk paint, walnut burl, bronze, 76 x 49 x 31in. Images Courtesy of Sarah Myerscough Gallery.
