British designer Samuel Ross The exhibition includes a number of large furniture pieces made out of stone, metal, and wood. Friedman Benda View the gallery NYCxDesignHe shares his experience as an African in the UK.
The Coarse Collection consists six tables and chairs that pay homage to the visual languages of public architecture, play areas, and other spaces.
The stone and concrete are a nod to the brutalist housing complexes of Brixton in London. Ross was born. Dezeen reported that the designer said his work has taken a more individual turn with this exhibition.
He said, “I’m allowing my personal life to be more involved in the work.” “There shouldn’t exist a distinction between work and life”.
All the pieces have a monotone base with coloured details that convey different meanings. According to Ross, the colours have emotional and symbol significance. For example, yellow represents vigilance, and red is for the body.
The Slab bench is made of two large slabs of granite that are interconnected by steel tubes painted green. It was designed to evoke childhood memories.
The tube also has a common form in playgrounds. It contrasts with the granite, which is indicative of the materiality and complexity of public infrastructure.
Designer: “Playgrounds expose children to modernism at an early age.” The intensity of green is incongruent with what the public housing project was intended to achieve.
Ross stated that the other pieces of the collection were meant to illustrate the tension between “artwork versus product”. The Fire Opens Stone Bench is made from Nero Africa Granite, glass fibre reinforced cement, painted steel, and polyurethane.
Ross also coated concrete with honey and milk before firing to create a patina.
Ross experimented with different methods to work the granite, leaving some of the edges in an almost raw, natural state to contrast the smooth edges and highlight the difference between naturally shaped objects and digital fabrication.
A serial code etched on the one side of the bench plays around with ideas about mass production even though this collectible design piece is only produced in limited quantities.
Anaesthesia I and Anaesthesia II consoles have been dyed with more natural colors. Both are primarily made of stainless steel and reinforced concrete, with organic materials such as clay and turmeric layered on top.
At the entrance to the gallery is Border – a low coffee table made from fired wenge wood, aluminium and powder-coated steel.
According to Ross, the piece was intended to represent the “different regions” of the Diaspora. The metal insets were designed to represent the “wounds”, and historic conceptions about the “Black Body as Tool”.
Ross stated that the collection is rooted in today’s world, even though the pieces of furniture delve into his history and the history Black people have in diaspora.
Ross stated, “The work that I am doing is an observation of the now.” “It is not just about the race.” Race is part of the equation, but it’s not all.
This is the first time that Ross has included sketches and documents describing the process of creating works.
Working across fashion Ross has also completed several conceptual exhibitions. In an in-depth interview Earlier this year he told Dezeen he’ll do fine arts “forever”.
The photographs are by Timothy Doyon.
Friedman Benda is exhibiting Coarse from 10 May until 17 June 2023. New York City events during New York design weekVisit our dedicated guide for more information about the.
