PRESS RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO ? By commissioning noted artist Robert Kuo, McGuire has introduced perhaps one of its most extraordinary collections in the company's fifty-year history. These jewel-like objects, 30 in all, are a reflection of Kuo's exquisite aesthetic, McGuire's superb artistry and the world's finest materials. Given the exacting craftsmanship and time-consuming methods used to create each piece in the collection, production is, by its very nature, limited. Each piece is numbered, dated and signed by the artist as it is completed.

Robert Kuo is best known as an artist and creator of exquisite 'objets' impeccably executed using methods and techniques that date back many centuries. His respect for and knowledge of traditional craft methods, techniques and materials enable him to bring both aesthetic and technical innovation to his work.

Robert Kuo for McGuire is the result of a collaboration between artist and manufacturer that began in the spring of 2001 when McGuire commissioned Kuo to design and create a special edition of furniture and lighting. In keeping with McGuire's mission to create functional art of lasting value, the artist created lighting designs in repoussý and cloisonný. The designs, introduced to wide acclaim, are now among the company's most celebrated items.

Kuo's furniture collection for McGuire incorporates the same craftsmanship and materials for which the artist has become so well recognized. The collection centers on clean lines, fluid silhouettes and unmistakable forms adorned by exquisite artistry and ancient techniques.

Woods used to make the furniture are indigenous to China, such as northern elm (yumu), ebony (zitan) and rosewood (hualimu), used in Chinese furniture making for hundreds of years. In many cases, components are cut from reclaimed timbers that are hundreds of years old, offering a special character to the furniture.

The construction and joinery methods used by McGuire for this collection are those employed by furniture craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty. No nails or screws are used. The traditional joinery methods, such as mortise and tenon, enhance the beauty, quality and structural integrity of each piece.

Beyond the exacting details of each unique form, the designs center on centuries-old techniques of artistry interpreted by Kuo.

Repoussý, the traditional art of hand-hammering decorative relief into sheet metal, dates back to 800 B.C., and in Chinese historical context, can be found as early as the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.). This laborious technique involves using a hammer and various shaping tools. Form and design are achieved by working on both sides of the sheet metal. Sections in relief are worked from the interior while depressed or concave sections are worked from the exterior. Kuo has incorporated copper repoussý into a number of the pieces in the collection. The unique designs are all created by hand, using traditional repoussý techniques.

Lacquer is a highly regarded art form and has been used in China for over 6,000 years. The term 'lacquer' refers to the name of the substance as well as the technique. True organic lacquer, which is the type used in this collection, is made of translucent sap collected from trees (rhus verniciflua) that are indigenous to East Asia. In McGuire's collection, 60 coats of lacquer are applied in thin layers over a wood or copper base, waiting for each layer to dry or cure for at least 24 hours before the next layer is applied. The unusually high number of coats of lacquer is what gives each surface its visual depth and richness.

Other items in the collection are a study in cloisonný. This technique of enameling on metal dates back to the Byzantine Empire and reached China during the 12th century. Cloisonný is an intense process of meticulous handcraftsmanship that begins with metal strips soldered in a pattern onto a copper base. The resulting compartments, called cloisons, are filled with enamel powders consisting of silica and various metal oxides used to create colors and variations in opacity. Each piece is fired in a kiln to fuse the paste into colored glass. The enamel shrinks during firing, and the process of refilling the cloisons with more enamel powder and firing must be repeated several times. The enamel surface is then ground to an even level with the top of the wires. Finally, the surface is polished and the exposed wires are plated with gold.

In keeping with McGuire's tradition of artistry and hand-craftsmanship, these remarkable new designs by Robert Kuo shed new light on several ancient art forms. By marrying time-honored techniques and ornamental craft with pure silhouettes, designer and manufacturer present an unforgettable collection of work. Each hand-crafted piece is a work of individual beauty, to be appreciated for its artistic merit, as well as for the distinction it brings to any room.

Robert Kuo for McGuire breaks new ground by ushering centuries-old decorative artistry into the 21st century. The simple elegance of each form becomes the perfect canvas for exceptional depth and complexity in pattern and color. The result is a rare harmony of antiquity and modernity.

Limited-edition designs from Robert Kuo for McGuire will be available at the McGuire showroom in San Francisco, at select Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showrooms, Baker Tribeca, and other fine whole showrooms nationwide in late 2002/early 2003.

McGuire Furniture Company, along with Ann Sacks and Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Inc., which includes Baker furniture, Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showrooms, and Baker Stores, is part of the Kohler Interiors Group and a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath designs.

Kohler Co. was founded in 1873. Headquartered in Kohler, Wis., it is one of the oldest and largest privately held companies in the United States.