Shechet’s sculptures are accompanied by a multitude of artist-designed benches, which serve as an invitation for visitors to pause and spend more time with the sculptures. Shechet says, “I want people to be comfortable. If I’m asking them to linger and contemplate my work, I want to make a gesture that makes it obvious and easy. I’ve worked on various shows where I’ve done this, and it lets people know, even if they don’t sit down, that I’m thinking about them.” Shechet’s benches also encourage interactions—an unexpected conversation with a fellow viewer, or a place to sit during performances.

The benches are constructed from carved marble and cast-concrete with pleated attachments in sandcast bronze and marble. The grain from the wooden forms in which the concrete was cast remains palpable on the benches’ surfaces, part of Shechet’s long-running theme of making her “process visible.” The various types of marble seen throughout Shechet’s marble benches recalls the artist’s process of constructing sculptures from disparate materials.

Please have a seat.