Tag Archives: sculpture

The ‘Gentle Geometry’ Of Wood Reflecting Cultures Through Sculptures By Aleph Geddis

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If you are inclined to woodworking, sculpture, or an appreciation for abstract geometric forms, the creations of sculptor Aleph Geddis are sure to captivate your imagination. Geddis’ work is a harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship, modernist aesthetics, and a deep-rooted fascination with the fundamental structures of our world.

Designer: Aleph Geddis

Aleph Geddis’ artistic roots can be traced back to his upbringing on Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest. Immersed in a creative environment shaped by his stepfather’s expertise in sculpture, carving, and boat building, Geddis found inspiration in the stylized naturalism of Northwest Coast Native carvings. His early works reflected this influence, evolving over time to incorporate diverse cultural experiences, such as a transformative family trip to Japan.

His sculptures beautifully straddle the intersection of different cultures and artistic traditions. Drawing upon the rich traditions of wood carving and totems from the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, as well as the intricate woodwork of Bali, Geddis merges these influences with the familial impact of his stepfather’s similar craft. The result is a collection of hand-carved pieces that resonate with a global and timeless aesthetic.

As Geddis’ artistic journey unfolds, a consistent theme emerges—exploring the simple elegance inherent in natural forms. His recent works delve into the integral shapes of Platonic solids, conveying a sense of truth beyond human subjectivity. For the sculptor, these forms possess a magical existence that predates and will outlast humanity, offering viewers the pleasure of interacting with something timeless and profound. His Orcas Island studio serves as the birthplace of each meticulously handcrafted piece, connecting the artist’s work to the landscapes that have shaped him.

The sculptor acknowledges the profound impact of a trip to Japan on his artistic exploration. Exposed to the country’s rich woodworking tradition, he integrates Japanese craftsmanship elements into his sculptural endeavors. This influence adds depth and diversity to his work, contributing to a body of art that seamlessly weaves together figurative, abstract, and even architectural elements.

Geddis’ sculptures cross the rational realm of mathematics and Platonic solids while embracing a spiritually inspired curiosity about sacred geometry. Some of his vertical pieces evoke a softer interpretation of Brutalist forms, while others conjure visions of wondrous alien audio speakers reminiscent of Arcosanti. Each creation invites viewers to contemplate the intersection of the tangible and the transcendent, encouraging a deeper exploration of the mystical dimensions embedded in his wooden sculptures. Each of his pieces is an artwork that makes you think, learn, and build conversations. And trust me, the longer you look at them, the more there is to keep.

Aleph Geddis’ sculptures are more than mere artistic expressions; they are gateways to a world where tradition, culture, and the inherent beauty of natural forms converge. Each piece from the Pacific Northwest to Japan reflects the artist’s journey, inviting viewers to join him on a visual and conceptual exploration of warm geometries sculpted from wood—a testament to the enduring magic found within the simplicity of shapes and the richness of cultural intersections.

The post The ‘Gentle Geometry’ Of Wood Reflecting Cultures Through Sculptures By Aleph Geddis first appeared on Yanko Design.

Love Hultén brick-inspired sound sculpture uses a bonsai tree to create sounds

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With the prevalence of electronic devices like smartphones and smart speakers, you might think that sound and music can only come from these objects. Of course, they are more medium than source, and there are plenty of things that generate audible audio waves even without the help of man-made contraptions. Nature, for example, has plenty of mystifying sounds that almost border on being musical, but there are also hidden ways that natural objects can produce sounds with a little help from technology. Using biological data and a bit of scientific creativity, one can even hear the “music” that plants make, such as this rather unique “sound sculpture” that makes a small bonsai tree sing its heart out in alien-like tones.

Designer: Love Hultén

To be clear, plants don’t make music, no matter how enchanting that concept might be. What artists, musicians, and designers are doing is to gather the subtle electrical signals generated by chemical changes in plants and interpret them as a series of tones generated by a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) device that hardly resembles a pleasing harmony. That said, even that straightforward process is enough to capture one’s curiosity and inspire a sense of wonder, even if it won’t win any music awards.

Tegel is one such artistic exploration in the translation of biological signals into audible sounds utilizing the popular bonsai tree. The choice of plant is almost poetic, given how this family of diminutive plants is often associated with meditation, calmness, and Zen. Ironically, the tones and beeps that are produced by this sound sculpture are hardly relaxing and are more like EDM for parties.

The small tree is housed inside a tall glass dome and is connected to an audio synthesizer via wires clipped onto its leaves. The plant acts more like a series of resistors rather than an actual sound source, and the sound sculpture incorporates dials to fine-tune the sound that comes out of it. There’s even a MIDI keyboard so that the user can add their own input to the mix.

What makes Tegel really special isn’t the process but the form that it comes in. Love Hultén has created quite a few of these contraptions that transform biodata into sound, but those really look the part of machines. In contrast, this sound sculpture is as much art as it is technology, inspired by the brick creations of Danish sculptor Per Kirkeby. It makes the bonsai tree a part of a miniaturized brick garden, creating a visual contrast of organic life and man-made structures working together to produce something akin to a miracle, that of pulling music out of a silent tree.

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Enjoy sheets of water through your fingers in sculpture-like faucet from Kohler

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There are some things that you use every day that serve a certain function and you don’t really care about what it looks like or how it’s made, as long as it does what it’s supposed to do. One of these things is the water faucet which you most likely use more than once a day (unless you’re stuck in bed and can’t get up). What if this simple piece of your life “exists beyond conventional expectations” and still does its job?

Designer: Samuel Ross for Kohler

The Formation 01 Faucet is a creation from Samuel Ross’ design studio SR_A for luxury bathroom and kitchen manufacturer Kohler. It doesn’t really look like your ordinary or even high end faucets look like. Rather, it was designed as a functional piece of sculpture that is still able to give you the water that you need when you want to use a faucet. The way it was designed is to give you a continuous sheet of water, whether you’re using it for cleaning or cooling down.

The faucet is made from an advanced composite material called Neolast, which is the proprietary material from Kohler. They were able to form it into that kind of shape since the material is able to offer “boundless form, unexpected texture, and rich, saturated colors”. It sports the color orange since it is the designer’s signature shade. Underneath the fauce is an embossed cast iron escutcheon plate to celebrate the collaboration between the brand and the designer.

The Formation 01 Faucet does look extraordinary and innovative, from the color to the seemingly-abstract shape. But what I really enjoy, at least from the product renders, is how the water comes out in a sheet, which looks and hopefully feels pretty cool (maybe literally even).

The post Enjoy sheets of water through your fingers in sculpture-like faucet from Kohler first appeared on Yanko Design.