Joop Van Lieshout is a controversial Dutch artist whose work explores the zone between 'art' and 'practical' objects. His Atelier Van Lieshout in Rotterdam makes functional object/sculptures and installations. The Atelier describes its new 'Bad Furniture Series' like this:
"Paradoxical and ambiguous, AVL's designs appear simple and straightforward, yet they tend to mix surrealistic aspects with minimalism, utopia with dark sexual extremities, and decorative craftsmanship with creepiness."
Just what you're looking for in a crib, right? Laughably, the first thing that caught my crib-shopping eye was the wide gaps between the bars, which didn't look Government-approved to me... But then I noticed the lid, with a padlock latch .
Who, exactly, is the target customer for this crib? Art collectors who'll use it as an stern discipline tool ("Eat your peas, dear, or it's Into The Crib with you."), and adoptive parents of Children Previously Raised By Wolves.
If you fit into either of these categories, contact Tanya Bonakdar Gallery in New York for price and availability information.
Does it make me a realllllllly bad person (and mother) if I find this uber-cool? Just wondering....