
Back home, Burks began experimenting with different assemblages. On the left, one of Burks’s assistants sews Material Palette, which gathered together all of the material samples used in the exhibition: manila rope, bungee cord, climbing rope, recycled plastic, paint, etc. "Because the exhibition is the Studio Museum's first design show, we wanted to educate people about what it is that designers do and what our process is," explains Burks. On the right is Burks’s triple basket lamp affixed to a vintage Alvar Aalto stool. “For me, part of the project in terms of the more sculptural pieces was to make a statement about the design/art world as well. I liked the idea of the basket taking a position of superiority over these design collectibles,” says Burks. Half-hidden on the right is another assemblage, which plopped a glass bowl and basket atop a Sori Yanagi Elephant stool.