Autumn Casey’s first exposure to Tiffany lamps—one of the defining decorative objects from the Art Nouveau movement—came from the trickled-down recreations they inspired. “I grew up in South Florida in the ’90s, so my introduction was very much the glass lamps in Pizza Hut and Applebees,” she says, laughing. But, even in their most mass-market form, she found them deeply appealing: “I’ve always loved illuminated things,” she explains. “And these are so intricate and just beautiful.”
Yet, the Miami-based artist’s metaphorical lightbulb moment came decades later: during a visit to the Queens Museum’s Neustadt Collection, a permanent gallery dedicated to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass lights and windows. What if Casey took his iconic works as a reference—and had some fun with it? “Like a punk song or something where people are trying to play together at the same time, and it’s just always a little bit off,” is how she describes her approach.
The result? Her collection, “Fantasy and Her Fantasies,” which is on display at The Future Perfect’s West Village townhouse gallery through March 14. (Although those who attended Design Miami fair this December will have already enjoyed a sneak peek of Casey’s work at The Future Perfect’s well-appointed booth.) Instead of glass, Casey’s lamps are made with fabric, wire, and resin, creating a playful, almost psychedelic feel. The fabric is a particularly poignant choice of material: she inherited “three massive totes” full of scraps from her grandmother, who was an antique dealer and doll-maker.
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Her grandmother, she elaborates, also handed down a love for glamour. (In her youth, she was a June Taylor dancer.) Casey wanted to pay homage to that sense of nostalgia through her own art. “I think there’s wanting to instill this feminine beauty—but my own way—in these objects,” she says. “Even though it’s not like I’m dancing on a stage, I want them to feel glamorous.”
“Fantasy and Her Fantasies” includes five table lamps, a floor lamp, and a chandelier. In some works, Casey plays with similar motifs to Tiffany, like wisteria and apple blossoms. In others, she channels a distinct South Floridian style: in lieu of dragonflies, for example, she embraces parrots and tropical hues. (At Design Miami, she even debuted a flamingo.) Most importantly, perhaps, Casey’s illuminated objects take anywhere from three weeks to two months to make. “I do think time equals beauty in this way,” she adds.
