Since Chris Schanck started his design studio in 2011, in Detroit, he’s rejected conventional materials in favor of forgotten objects and supplies. Technically, Schanck makes furniture. But his chairs and tables often resemble sculptures. “My works exist on a spectrum,” he says, “on the one end they are practical and functional, and on the other they are aspirational and speculative—a blend of reality and fantasy.” Schanck’s first solo museum show in New York City includes pieces inspired by coral reefs and tables shaped like kneeling men. —Jensen Davis