Artist Statement

David Beker is a contemporary designer, craftsperson, and artist. Drawing from his experience as an architect and digital artist, his three-dimensional projects exist in a space between functional furniture and abstract sculpture. He draws inspiration from the deep cultural meaning of recognizable objects and structures. These elements are combined and arranged to create a new composition that challenges the understanding of the object’s original meaning. These pieces may at first seem disparate, but all celebrate making with an attention to thoughtful details and design. David maintains a true, one-person studio, where he designs and makes all of his work.

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Education

University of Pennsylvania. Master of Architecture.

Parsons School of Design. Master of Fine Arts in Design and Technology.

University of Maryland, College Park. Bachelor of Science in Architecture.

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Teaching

Furniture Making. Drexel University. Department of Architecture. 2022

Graduate Product Design Studio, “Advanced Prototyping”. Product Design Dept. University of the Arts. 2021

Architecture Design Studio 1-3 of a 3-course sequence. Drexel University. Department of Architecture. 2016-Present

Visual Representation 1-3 of a 3-course sequence. Drexel University. Dept. of Architecture. 2016-Present

Foundation Design, level 3 (3D art). Drexel University. Art and Art History Department. 2019

Furniture Design for the Philadelphia Museum of Art Collab Competition and Show. University of the Arts. 2017

Exhibitions

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2023
Ingrained: An Exhibition of Pennsylvania Furniture, Sculpture and Woodturning. (Invited)‍

Deconstructed Tansu and Floating Tea Chest. Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA‍

DesignPhiladelphia Festival; Westphal Makes. Tower Lamp. Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA. (Invited).

2022
23rd Annual Works in Wood Competition. New Hope Arts Center. Uku Credenza. (Juried).

2021
Works in Wood 2021. New Hope Arts Center. Deconstructed Tansu. New Hope, PA. (Juried). ‍

Regional Painting Competition. Torpedo Factory Artist’s Association. Alexandria, VA.
Honorable Mention. ‍

Finding Sanctuary. Visionary Art Collective. Honorable Mention. Online. (Juried)

2020
Works in Wood 2020. New Hope Arts Center. (Juried).
‍Deconstructed Cabinet [Juror’s Award Winner], and A Cabinet for 18 Rings. New Hope, PA

Fusion Art: 5th Annual Cityscapes Art Competition. (Juried).
‍The Ark. 2nd Place for the 3D-Art Category. Online.

MOZAIK Future Art Awards, Special Mention. Schism. Online. (Juried).

I Like Your Work Summer Exhibition. Manufactured, Schism, The Corruption. Online.
Juried by Bridgette Mayer.

My Home, My Universe. New York Art Competitions. (Juried). Online.

WIDE OPEN 11: BWAC National Juried Art Show. Manufactured. Brooklyn, NY.

Subversion. Da Vinci Art Alliance. (Dis)Array. Philadelphia, PA. (Juried).

2019
Home, 29th Annual Juried Exhibition. Strathmore Art Center. Manufactured. Bethesda, MD.

Nuance: Craftsmanship, Imagination, and Innovation. Peters Valley School of Craft. New Bench. Layton, NJ.(Juried).

2016
5th Annual Juried International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art. Irving Arts Center. Wall Cabinet. Irving, TX.

10x10x10xTieton; 7th Annual Intl. Small Works Exhibition. Mighty Tieton Warehouse Gallery. Tieton, WA. (Juried).

3rd Annual Abstract Sanctuary Exhibition (Juried). Verum Ultimum Art Gallery. without Mountains. Portland, Oregon.

GoggleWorks 10th Annual Juried Exhibition. (Juried) GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.) “Shrine #1”. Reading, PA

Sacred and Liturgical Arts Festival. Springfield Art Association. Shrine #1, Shrine #5. Springfield, IL. (Juried)

2015
Exhibition of Small Works. (Juried). Ashok Jain Gallery. Shrine #1. New York, NY.

2014
20th Annual Woodworker’s Competition and Exhibition. Wharton Esherick Museum. (Juried).

House for Four Chickadees. Finalist. Paoli, PA.