KYLE BUNTING DEBUTS FIRST ARTIST COLLECTION, 'ELEMENT BY ABIDEMI'
Samples of the new puzzle-like designs by artist Abidemi Olowonira for Kyle Bunting debut at the New York showroom of Edelman Leather. |
NEW YORK -- Trendsetting decorative cowhide rug designer Kyle Bunting recently debuted the Element collection by Nigerian born artist Abidemi Olowonira at the New York City showroom of Edelman Leather.
The Austin, Texas-based Kyle Bunting studio, which creates all its rugs in Texas from Italian cowhides, has become known for elevating the status of hair-on-hide in interior design with its signature rugs, and as a result of an exclusive arrangement launched last spring, the brand is available through Edelman's 10 showrooms.
Although Bunting's studio has often collaborated with prominent interior designers, the new Olowonira collection is the company's first artist collection. Currently in stock are 14 limited edition prototype designs in 8x10, 8-foot rounds, and 3x10 runners that refashion the artist's abstract works as art for the floor.
Kyle Bunting reworks artist Abidemi Olowonira's abstract wall art into art for the floor in the new Element collection unveiled at the NYC shoroom of Edelman Leather (pictured above).. Below, the same 8-foot round design from the Element II collection by Abidemi from Kyle Bunting.
"I was drawn to Olowonira's work for the obvious reasons: his use of leather. But what intrigued me more was the dynamism of the work in contrast to the humility and genuineness of the man," Bunting told RugNews.com.
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"Abidemi's genius is his perseverance as much as it is his vision." -- Kyle Bunting |
The new collection with Olowonira, who moved to Texas in 2002 from Nigeria and studied fine arts at the Texas Southern University, reworks some of the artist's mixed media works. Olowonira is best known for his distinct handcrafted abstract wall art made of scraps of leather.
Artist Abidemi Olowonira's abstract designs, pictured above in the NYC showroom of Edelman Leather and a closeup below, complement the puzzle-like designs from Kyle Bunting.
Bunting, whose puzzle-like area rug designs often are brightly colored, met Olowonira at an opening and soon after began supplying the young artist with pieces of his leftover leather. The result allowed Olowonira to incorporate color into his leather work.
"Abidemi's genius is his perseverance as much as it is his vision; that the work applied itself so naturally to interpretation for me was an afterthought," Bunting said. "I am honored to represent these rugs and help showcase the efforts of this visionary young talent."
Nigerian-born artist Abidemi Olowonira has become known for his abstract leather wall art.
The Element I design rug from Kyle Bunting's new artist collection by Abidemi.
Called Element III, this hair on hide cowhide rug is from Kyle Bunting's Element by Abidemi collection.
Visual artist Abidemi Olowonira uses leather scraps to create his abstract wall hangings, pictured above, which inspired the Element collection from Kyle Bunting.