Commune Shows:
Steven Johanknecht & Niles Wertz

September 30-October 15, 2023

Blunk Space is delighted to host Commune Shows, an exhibition of new works by Steven Johanknecht and Niles Wertz, curated by Roman Alonso. Johanknecht & Alonso are the co-founders and principals of the LA-based design studio Commune, known for its holistic and collaborative approach to design and architecture. The show features paintings by Johanknecht and rugs and blankets based on those paintings, alongside sculptures, furniture, and bowls by Wertz, made from salvaged wood sourced from local sawyer Evan Shively.

Johanknecht draws formal inspiration from the work of artists around the Bauhaus school, among others, but also emulates their mode of engaging unconscious decision-making by imposing restrictions on their practice. The paintings follow an internal logic of color & form, and then act as springboards for the repeated patterns of the rugs and blankets. Wertz, a frequent Commune collaborator, has worked with wood since he was nine years old, and spends his summers sourcing wood and repairing lathes and mills for Shively’s enterprise, Arborica, in Marshall. The salvaged wood lends its own internal logic to his work; the nesting bowls in the show are turned from the same piece of wood, so that the grain is continuous across all four or five pieces.

Blunk Space will also launch the newest edition of Blunk Cups in a cobalt blue and black glaze. The blue was inspired by Blunk's VW flatbed pickup truck, which he painted with cobalt house paint in the 1960s. The Blunk Cups are an ongoing collaboration with Commune, which designs the packaging for the cups and carries them in their online shop.

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

INQUIRE

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Niles Wertz
From The Soil of Suisun, 2023
Walnut burl
63" diameter x 10"

INQUIRE

Niles Wertz
Nested Set of Five - E, 2023
Sycamore
21" diameter x 6"

INQUIRE

Niles Wertz
Birds Eye Platter, 2023
Elm
16.5" diameter x 2.5"

INQUIRE

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt rug, 2023
Hand knotted and handspun wool
8' x 10'

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt rug, 2023
Hand knotted and handspun wool
8' x 10'

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Hollow Pouf, 2023
Walnut
23" diameter x 17"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Figured Centerpiece, 2023
Walnut
27.5" diameter x 5"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Nested Set of Three - A, 2023
Walnut
19" diameter x 5"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Oval Platter, 2023
Walnut
22" diameter x 2"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Tilted Platter, 2023
Elm
29" diameter x 3"

SOLD

 

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt print, 2023
individually signed and numbered
11 colors pressed on 118# natural white cotton paper
11" x 14"
Edition of 40

INQUIRE

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt print, 2023
individually signed and numbered
12 colors pressed on 118# natural white cotton paper
11" x 14"
Edition of 40

INQUIRE

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt Blanket (orange), 2023
92% wool, 8% cashmere
57" x 71"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Coffee Table, 2023
Walnut burl
48" diameter x 15"

INQUIRE

Niles Wertz
Wavy Edge Platter, 2023
Walnut
12" diameter x 2"

INQUIRE

Niles Wertz
Figured Platter, 2023
Walnut
21.5" diameter x 4"

INQUIRE

Niles Wertz
Sap Wings Platter, 2023
Elm
18" diameter x 2"

INQUIRE

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Untitled, 2022 – 2023
Acrylic on wood panel
8" x 8"
10" x 10" framed

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt rug, 2023
Hand knotted and handspun wool
8' x 10'

SOLD

Steven Johanknecht
Abstrakt Blanket (blue), 2023
92% wool, 8% cashmere
57" x 71"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Nested Set of Three - B, 2023
Walnut
16" diameter x 5"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Nested Set of Five - D, 2023
Sycamore
23.5" diameter x 6.5"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Deep Platter, 2023
Sycamore
23" diameter x 4"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Sap Eye Bowl, 2023
Walnut
15" diameter x 4"

SOLD

Niles Wertz
Natural Nugget, 2023
Elm Burl
18" diameter x 11"

SOLD