London-based designer Paul Cocksedge has brought his work stateside for the second time. The solo exhibition, Freeze, features three series of objects: “Freeze,” “Slice” and “Rhythm Shelf,” created by allowing the forces of nature—namely temperature—to work their magic on materials like copper, aluminum and acrylic.
Cocksedge’s experimentation throughout the series produced splendid works of art that appear effortless, but are in fact highly technical.For the “Freeze” series, Cocksedge created a table by burying four copper legs in snow, causing the metal to contract. Upon excavating the copper legs, he inserted them into holes on an aluminum tabletop, which allowed them to unfreeze and lock into place.
“I loved the idea that when you cool down a metal, it moves,” Cocksedge said in a release. “I wanted to use that shrinkage as the beginning of making and bonding materials that couldn’t usually connect with each other.”
“Slice,” uses heat and gravity to shape a block of acrylic, and “Rhythm Shelf” explores the rhythm that emerges from disorder. The unique structure is composed of 68 dividers that appear to ripple like waves and was inspired by an untidy bookshelf.
Freeze will be on view at Friedman Benda from October 29 – December 19.
Main image courtesy of Friedman Benda and Paul Cocksedge Studio, photo by Mark Cocksedge.
