A Bit of Everything by Misha Kahn
Douglaston-Little Neck Library, 249-01 Northern Boulevard, Little Neck, Queens
A project of the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Design and Construction, and the Queens Library
Misha Kahn
BKSK Architects
Misha Kahn’s work exists at the intersection of design and sculpture. Kahn’s artistic process flows fluidly between the handmade and digital, and he utilizes a variety of production processes, including casting, carving, welding, and 3D printing.
For A Bit of Everything, Misha Kahn was inspired by his own experiences as a child visiting the local public library: “I would wander through the seemingly endless rows of stacks and pick up unexpected books to discover new stories, histories, and characters. For me, the library was a safe space, a community center and grounds for discovery all in one. I think the element of surprise and unexpected discovery is the part that really gives a library its true magic.” Kahn wanted to capture that unadulterated essence through shapes that remind people of elements of their community and forms that are pulled from the narratives and information the library holds. The widely varied shapes, each unique and some inspired by the Douglaston-Little Neck area, are suspended in a stainless-steel scaffold that creates a structure and logic for the shapes to exist within, much the way a library becomes a means to unite people, communities, and information, while always offering endless chances to discover something new.
