Jonathan Trayte

As we approach a year under lockdown, the prospect of hitting the open road has never seemed so seductive. But given that we’re likely to be confined to our homes a bit longer, why not bring some of the road trip spirit inside? Now on view a Friedman Benda, British artist Jonathan Trayte presents a new body of sculptural furniture inspired by a 2,000-mile journey across the American West.

The landscape of the West—as seen through the eyes of an outsider—informed the shapes and sensibilities of Trayte’s pieces. A chair is upholstered in furry bison-like hide in bONZA (2019), while a swing bench is held up by a massive palm tree in Sundown Swing (2020). With their mid-century stylings and neon-bright colors, the fully functional pieces could transform your home into some psychedelic motel along Route 66.