PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Early Furniture by George Nakashima, 1936-1956 – The Architect Designs, the much-anticipated historic exhibit of early works by legendary furniture craftsman George Nakashima (1905-1990), which was rescheduled by Philadelphia’s Moderne Gallery from spring to fall 2009, will now open on Friday, October 9, 2009 to fit the new dates for the annual DesignPhiladelphia celebration organized by The Design Center at Philadelphia University (Oct. 7-13, 2009 www.designphiladelphia.org).T he Early Furniture exhibit is a featured presentation of this regional event.

Early Furniture by George Nakashima, 1936-1956 – The Architect Designs, will open on Friday, October 9 and continue through December 24, 2009 at Moderne Gallery, 111 N. Third Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. (215-923-1836) www.modernegallery.com or RAibel@aol.com.

“I have been collecting early Nakashima pieces for more than 10 years in anticipation of this project and we are receiving loans from museums and collectors,” says Moderne Gallery owner/director Robert Aibel. “This exciting, historic exhibit has never been done before and deserves to be seen by the largest audience possible. I want to show the evolution of George Nakashima’s thought processes and designs for studio craft furniture so people can understand its importance.”

Recognizing that George Nakashima was awarded the Gold Craftsmanship Medal of the American Institute of Architects (1952), the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects will present a program at its Center for Architecture (www.aiaphila.org) featuring Robert Aibel and Mira Nakashima-Yarnall, George’s daughter Mira, a renowned designer and woodworker in her own right. (Date TBA) Mira will be actively involved in showing and telling “the inside story” of her father’s evolution from a young architect and woodworker to an iconic figure of 20th century design and welcomes visitors to the family’s studio, George Nakashima Woodworker, in New Hope, PA (www.nakashimawoodworker.com). Other marketing efforts for special groups and partnerships are also being planned.

“Dad's furniture was all about the wood. He rebelled against modern technology and its dehumanizing effects. He believed that wood has a soul and spoke often of giving second life to a tree through his furniture designs."—Mira Nakashima.