Indecision of Upholstery. Courtesy photo.

Bellevue Arts Museum is the first Northwest museum to present a solo exhibition of celebrated artist, John Cederquist. A recent recipient of the Furniture Society of America Award of Distinction, Cederquist is widely recognized for his playful wood assemblages and furniture pieces.

In "Master of Deception: The Furniture of John Cederquist," a number of the artist’s free-standing cabinets, chairs, benches and other two- and three-dimensional works are on display. Each piece is infused with vivid imagery and offers viewers multiple, skewed perspectives through the use of a variety of optical tricks. In the first gallery, six oversized, kimono-shaped cabinets focus on propaganda imagery.

They are part of a series entitled "Heavenly Victory" and feature scenes of military aircraft flying among the clouds or over Mt. Fuji, parachutes dropping from the sky, bombs exploding and Japanese flags. The narrative explanation regarding the work notes that kimonos in Japan were a popular vehicle for expressing domestic attitudes toward war.

And although many people are familiar with protest fashion from the Vietnam War era, few are aware that textile designs also served as patriotic propaganda for the Japanese, British and Americans during the Asia-Pacific War (1931-1945). Cederquist began this series in 2007 when the Iraq War dominated the news.

He saw similarities between the wars in regards to the nature of their methods of initiation, as well as the role that propaganda played in the war efforts.

The cabinets are notable for their dramatic colors and distinct craftsmanship, involving the use of Baltic birch plywood, along with other hardwoods, pigmented epoxy resin, aniline dye and lithography inks.

In the second gallery, visitors will find some of Cederquist’s early works, as well as several newer pieces completed in 2010.

The furniture, several chairs and a bench, follow the artist’s own aesthetic, as opposed to adhering to any established and accepted principles of form and function.

There is a dreamlike quality, as well as a sense of instability and absurdity, in the work that both amuses and disturbs.

Multiple realities are achieved through such devices as trompe l’oeil, allowing the works to change back and forth from one dimension to another.

Flat surfaces come to life and objects become animated. In this manner, Cederquist encourages viewers to engage both eye and mind, as they explore the relationship between reality and illusion.

In "Steaming Poodle Bench," the artist’s wit and clever use of materials come together to simulate pipes that spout steam in shapes resembling the curls of a poodle.

Water appears to flow from the mountains down pipes in "Conservation Chair" and in "Indecision of Upholstery," a chair gives the illusion of being draped in actual material.

The artist’s more recent works, a set of six wall-mounted pieces, all feature cartoon-style hands engaged in some type of woodworking or painting activity.

In "Measure Twice Cut Once!" for example, several of the hands hold pencils and rulers, while in "Painters Holiday," the hands grasp paint brushes.

There is also a series of wooden plates or trays on display which contain images of Japanese cuisine, dishes and chopsticks. Cederquist is a remarkable craftsman and a true master of deception with a magician’s flair.

"Master of Deception: The Furniture of John Cederquist" runs through May 15th at Bellevue Arts Museum. Related events accompanying the exhibit include wood crafting sessions, exhibition tours and artist lectures.

For more information: www.bellevuearts.org