Contemporary Design for the IMA

In our never-ending quest to infuse the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection with the best in contemporary design, the Design Arts Society has an exciting chance to add a signature piece by a rising international design star to the permanent collection - and he just happens to be based right here in Central Indiana.


Above: Christopher Stuart, Glitch 1; Solid Polished Bronze; 2016. (Photography by Lauren Coleman).

Thanks to the generosity and a partial gift from The Future Perfect (a design gallery with locations in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles) we have a unique opportunity to purchase this important piece of Contemporary Design. This campaign will raise the additional amount needed to acquire the piece.

Glitch 1 first debuted at a solo exhibition of Christopher Stuart's work at The Future Perfect during New York’s Design Week in 2016. The show immediately received accolades from the national and international design press including New York Times T Magazine, Wallpaper, and designboom. Stuart describes his 'Constructs & Glitches' collection as "sculpture at furniture scale," suggesting its conceptual nature and inherent aesthetic tension.  As the name suggests, Glitch 1 is the first in a series of unusual, computer-distorted pieces that derive their forms from software malfunctions produced by the normally precise CAD design software.


Above: Christopher Stuart, Glitch 1 (Detail); Solid Polished Bronze; 2016. (Photography by Lauren Coleman).

Shelley Selim, Associate Curator of Design at the IMA, says "What I find so compelling about the Glitch series is the way it skirts the divide of an age-old design dichotomy—the seemingly “perfect” precision of machine-made objects versus the alluring imperfections embodied in the handmade. His designs were digitally rendered, but flaws still occurred—products of a software glitch that was in all likelihood caused by a human programmer. The deviations could have been fixed with a few clicks of the mouse, but Stuart celebrates these anomalies as prime examples of the beauty in failure."

The IMA boasts the largest amount of gallery space devoted to contemporary design in the United States. This is your opportunity to help celebrate Indiana’s design legacy while bolstering the IMA’s already world-class design collection. Acquiring Glitch 1 by this rising design star supports the museum’s commitment to living designers, especially those working in the United States.

The Design Arts Society (DAS) is an IMA membership group for design enthusiasts, dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of the aesthetic, historical, and cultural significance of design. You can find more info about us here .

To encourage your participation, we have set up the following five reward levels (to give and redeem please click on reward levels in sidebar at right):

1 - All donors $50 and up
- This event is no longer available to donors-
Thursday, September 14, 6-8 pm: You are invited to the Indianapolis premiere of Glitch 1 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Includes a meet and greet with designer Christopher Stuart.

2 - $125 - Dual/Family Membership to IMA + Membership to the Design Arts Society
The Design Arts Society (DAS) presents lectures, discussions, home tours and other events throughout the year. Your membership provides you free or discounted access to all of the above. We would be delighted for you to join us.
Please note if you are already a member you may gift this membership to a friend.

3 - $250 - Insider tour of the Design Gallery with Shelley Selim
Tour the largest gallery in the United States dedicated to contemporary design with Shelley Selim, Associate Curator of Design and Decorative Arts, as she highlights some of her favorite pieces in the collection. Choose from one of the following dates:
- Thursday, September 14 at 4:30 pm (immediately prior to the premiere)
- Sunday, October 1 at 1 pm

4 - $500 - A limited edition drawing by Christopher Stuart
A unique CNC drawing by Christopher Stuart based on his Glitch series. Only 30 will be produced, all signed and numbered by the artist. This piece measures 22.25" x 30", drawn with archival ink on 100% cotton paper.




5 - $1000 - Your own Glitch Vessel designed by Christopher Stuart 3D printed in blackened steel and produced in an edition of only 15 exclusively for the IMA. See the renderings of this amazing piece below and watch for info here as we reveal the artist's proof in just a couple of weeks. Appx. 7.5" H x 5.25 W.