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Robert Kuo Furniture

Chinese artist and designer Robert Kuo is known worldwide for his modern furniture and objets d’art that merge ancient tradition and popular decorative styles such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau.

Born in Beijing, Kuo moved with his family to Taiwan in 1947. While he never received a formal art education, Kuo gained technical expertise working as an apprentice at his father’s cloisonné workshop from the age of 15.

In 1973, Kuo emigrated to the U.S. and opened his own cloisonné studio in Beverly Hills, California. There, he utilized the time-honored skills he learned with his father for a wide range of uniquely striking vases, sculptures and bowls. His Goldfish bowl — a technical masterpiece of vibrant colors and cloisonné designs that appear to float against a black enamel background — was acquired by the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for its permanent collection.

In 1984, Kuo opened a showroom in West Hollywood, where it became a favorite among interior designers for the sculptural and often whimsical coffee tables, stools and table lamps on offer. A year later, Kuo shifted his attention toward repoussé — a technique that sees decorative reliefs hammered onto the surface of metals. Examples of Kuo’s repoussé pieces include his black lacquer Cloud chair and Oval coffee table in antique copper.

In 2014, a retrospective exhibition celebrating Kuo’s 30th anniversary as a designer was held at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and his New York studio. In 2016, he also hosted an exhibition in his New York studio titled “Robert Kuo Selects: Los Angeles Studio Made, Found and Represented Artists,” showcasing his works as well as pieces by prominent L.A. designers Blackman Cruz, Dana John and JF Chen. In 2019, Italian artist Mattia Biagi’s L.A. exhibition “Metropolitan Sets” included Kuo’s Back Rest chair and brass Facet Seat.

Today, Kuo’s works can be seen at the National History Museum in Taipei, Singapore Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco’s Hotel Palomar, the Las Vegas MGM Grand and the Four Seasons in New York.

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Robert Kuo decorative objects, seating, lighting and more.

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Period: 19th Century
Creator: Robert Kuo
19th Century, China Burl Wood Top with Contemporary Repoussé Brass Base Table
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A one of a kind table consisting of an antique burl wood top from the 19th century circa late Ching dynasty and a contemporary Robert Kuo hand repo...
Category

19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Robert Kuo Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

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Robert Kuo furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Robert Kuo furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Robert Kuo furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 5 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 351 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Robert Kuo were created in the modern style in asia during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by VG-VGnewtrend, Sebastian Scherer, and Sebastian Herkner. Prices for Robert Kuo furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $175 and can go as high as $24,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,200.

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