Bates Wilson. Creating, mixing, matching, designing, recycling and discovering.




"“Metal will never wear out, I like the way it ages, I like the patina. I enjoy exploring the medium, the process of discovery, and finding new ways to satisfy myself.”

Whether our icons are being reinterpreted like Salvador Dali’s ‘Crucifixion’ or purposely taken out of context as is the case with Andy Warhol’s ‘Campbell’s Soup Can’, with each new mutation we are reminded of something we often see and take for granted when it’s presented to us in a fresh perspective. Our most famous icon, the American flag, is one of them. They fly outside of our Post Offices and groggy school children salute them each morning but it’s not until we are attacked by terrorists or the government sends our families off to fight losing battles that we realize how much we take it for granted. It’s also artists like Bates Wilson that remind us as well.

Bates Wilson moved from Atlanta to New York in the late 80’s to further pursue his acting career. Out of necessity he began to furnish his apartment with pieces of furniture made from discarded metal. “Wood was too hard to work with, especially in my apartment. Originally what I was making was all from recycled materials. I’d use what I could find like sheet metal or drywall beams that I would flatten out. I made some really big pieces.”

Visiting Wilson’s studio in Dumbo I was surprised at how large some of his pieces actually are. One piece in particular, a gorgeous War Of The Worlds, pod-like TV cabinet, is about 9 feet long and stands about 5 feet high. Unfortunately it’s the size of my apartment. “Furniture is hard to sell in New York, there’s a market but I think I’d do better in LA. I think the West Coast would be more receptive to larger pieces. New York is conservative, it’s a minimal town, the spaces are small and everyone gravitates towa