Guild-of-One

As a tribute to the master artisans of bygone eras, Karl Unnasch has conceived a 21st century successor – his whimsical “Guild-of-One” itinerant workbench.

Reminiscent of a merchant at a medieval trading post, the Artist materializes on the streets of our 21st century world with his mobile workbench and supplies, inciting passersby to spontaneously supply him with whatever dispensable objects may be on their person at the time. Before the eyes of all assembled, he capriciously re-engineers and re-contextualizes this public detritus and ephemera into one-of-a-kind objects of art and wonder, then relinquishes the new creation back to the donor for contemplation and deliberation.

Sometimes beautiful, sometimes farcical, and sometimes even ghastly, the Guild-of-One extrusions never fail to captivate those who have beheld their transformation, provoking convivial discourse and reflection among the crowd. The Artist thus guilefully bestows upon his congregation not just a physical work of art, but a substantive interpersonal experience of spontaneous fellowship among strangers in a world where such encounters have truly been all but lost.

Of course, on occasion the Guild-of-One comes alive in the isolation of Unnasch’s studio as well – for he is, from time to time, compelled to indulge his internal obsessive and avid hobbyist, and to extrude bizarre creations for the pleasure and gratification of no one but himself.

Browse Guild-of-One creations below...