'Leaning Couple' chair construction by Linda Stein

To treat something "like a piece of furniture" means taking it for granted. Five artists showing their works at Aljira in Newark this month, however, make household objects that are hard to ignore.

"Decorative Impulse," the last of a three-part series called "Environmental Explorations," features novel twists on the themes of tables, chairs and other furnishings.  It has been put together by guest curator Howard McCalebb....

Particularly wild are the chairs made from found objects by Linda Stein. "Open and Lift Out." true to its name, features a removable seat that contains several miniaturized environments. "Skeletal Format" is more surreal - two black, wooden chairs united by a real spine at the back. Another work involving the merget of two chairs, "Leaning Couple," carried the anthropomorphic concept to the ultimate degree.