Friedman Benda in New York is currently presenting Formation, the first US gallery exhibition by Italian design studio Formafantasma. Opened to the public on June 6th and running until August 1st, the show signals an entry into the American gallery landscape for Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, whose studio has built a reputation for research-driven work grounded in material and cultural investigations.

Comprising tables, chairs, and lighting made primarily from Cherry wood and brushed aluminum, Formation centers on the idea of the archetype, specifically the typical pieces that make up the language of the home. ‘One of the words that kept on emerging from our conversation with the gallery was the idea of the archetype,’ Farresin explains at the show’s opening in New York. ‘There is an element in this group of works, which is the plank. That’s the most basic archetype where you construct furniture. And that’s where the collection originated.’

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

formation: friedman benda becomes a living space

The works by Formafantasma are composed within Friedman Benda’s gallery to recall a living space, though it is intentionally reduced in language. The designers note that Formation makes no attempt at theatricality. Instead, there is an attentiveness to proportion and placement. Each element draws from the familiar forms of chairs, shelving, and tables without directly reproducing historical models. ‘We wanted to address the domestic environment.’

The lighting pieces serve as an especially pointed reflection on how archetypes evolve. Made with flat LED panels encased in wood and metal, they mirror the ratio and glow of laptops and mobile devices. ‘Instead of the bulb, the new archetype of lighting is actually the panel,’ Farresin notes, describing our changing archetypes. ‘The iPhone, the laptop. That is the lighting that affects most of our lives.’

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

Material conversations and cultural inheritance

The choice of Cherry wood is central to Formation. Sourced from a lineage of American cabinetmaking, the material speaks to a larger cultural inheritance. Trimarchi and Farresin reference the Shaker tradition, Frank Lloyd Wright, and George Nakashima, not just for their aesthetics but for the clarity of their values and their dedication to material truth. ‘The decision to work with Cherry wood is also a reference and an homage to a lot of American designers we love,’ he says. ‘The work has been informed by the fact that we are here in the United States, showing our work.’

Against the warmth of the Cherry wood, brushed aluminum appears cool and precise. More than formal, this contrast speaks to Formafantasma’s interest in how older materials might coexist with the language of digital culture. The two materials remain distinct, yet they are in constant dialogue across each object.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

textiles in the domestic environment

Subtle textile elements appear throughout the exhibition as acknowledgements of domestic labor and memory. ‘A lot of textile work is often overlooked in the domestic environment,’ the designer continues. ‘I’m thinking about table linen. And white is very subtle. We thought it was beautiful to include that. It made us think about the work of the many women that informed our life.’

The inclusion of these textiles introduces a softer, slower register to the space. They draw attention to touch and surface, but also to the social histories embedded in fabric which have long defined the heritage of furniture-making.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

project info:

exhibition: Formation

design: Formafantasma | @formafantasma

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY

on view: June 6th — August 1st, 2025

photography: © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma

The post formafantasma reflects on american domestic furniture archetypes at friedman benda NYC appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In his latest solo exhibition, Voice of Silence, at Friedman Benda, artist and master craftsman Byung Hoon Choi invites viewers to experience a space for inward reflection. Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Taoist philosophy, and Korea’s traditions of humility and restraint, Choi’s new body of sculptural works opens a dialogue between stillness and vitality, presence and memory.

‘Nature is said to be silent,’ the artist reflects during an interview with designboom, ‘but within that nature lies an immense vitality.’ This tension between the quiet and the alive animates every edge and surface in the exhibition, where monumental basalt works and quietly commanding wooden cabinets seem to hum. Voice of Silence is on view from March 27th — May 23rd, 2025 at Friedman Benda’s New York gallery.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung, video © designboom

expressing the tactility of raw materials

As Byung Hoon Choi illustrates at Friedman Benda, his materials speak of time. Basalt, formed in fire millions of years ago, becomes the surface through which Choi carves what he calls ‘a lingering afterimage of the origin.’ In pairing this primal material with wood — often shaped into low, contemplative forms recalling Joseon-era scholar furniture — he grounds his work in the Korean design tradition while pressing it forward into a new, sculptural language.

‘I try to express the surface of the natural stone as it was found,’ the artist explains, drawing a distinction from more decorative Chinese and Japanese traditions. The result is a cultural excavation made visible: Korean history, unembellished and elemental, revealed through the tactility of raw form.

Materials are more than just matter. They carry energy, intention, and philosophy. He approaches each stone and piece of wood not with a preordained design, as a humble listener. ‘If a shape emerges from the stone, I follow that shape to create something,’ he says. This responsiveness is echoed in his respect for softness, both physical and emotional: the diffused lighting of the gallery space, the curtain-like installations that suggest a mysterious mist. The work is less about making a statement and more about clearing space for thought and for stillness.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

Byung Hoon Choi’s Philosophy Carved in Stone

Even after decades of teaching and exhibiting, Byung Hoon Choi continues to seek surprise, inspiration, and renewal. His advice to young artists is telling: ‘Set certain limits for yourself, and then flip those limits.’ In many ways, Voice of Silence is an embodiment of that ethos. It resists easy categorization — between art and design, sculpture and furniture — and instead distills an essence, one that is essentially Korean and quietly radical.

‘Everything is possible,’ Choi says. And within that spaciousness, carved from stone and shadow, silence takes shape and is given a voice. Read on to discover designboom’s full interview with the artist during the opening of Voice of Silence at Friedman Benda.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

designboom (DB): How do you interpret the phrase ‘Voice of Silence?’

Byung Hoon Choi (BHC): Nature is said to be silent, but within that nature lies an immense vitality. The materials I use are natural, and through them, I try to draw out a deep sense of vitality. That reflects an Eastern philosophy — one that doesn’t express itself outwardly in a flashy way, but rather holds something internal and profound.

Rather than bragging too much or trying to show off excessively, I prefer to hold my values within and seek a sense of depth — that’s the tendency of my work. So, this kind of expression doesn’t come from a selfish place but rather from something natural. It’s not about forcing or exaggerating things — just letting them be as they are. I’m not trying to artificially show off or flaunt anything.

DB: What is your relationship with Zen Buddhism and Taoism?

BHC: Ever since I was young, my parents and my grandparents were all Buddhists. So I went to temples many times. I think that’s something that’s kind of ingrained in the basic mentality of Korean people, historically speaking.

During the Joseon Dynasty [the last dynasty of Korea, reigning from 1392 to 1910], which was an era of Confucianism, scholars had the virtue of humility, of not showing off their knowledge of science or other fields. The virtue of modesty. A humble attitude. That was the posture, the mindset, that intellectuals of the Joseon era held toward nature and the world around them.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

DB: You’ve described stone as a ‘lingering afterimage of the origin.’ Could you elaborate on what this concept means to you?

BHC: For this stone to have formed, it took an unimaginable span of time, billions of years. It’s like a remnant from the very beginning of time, from the era of the Big Bang, when humanity was just being born. It’s something that was formed over billions of years, and by giving it a new touch today, I’m creating new value. It’s like reviving the traces of the beginning.

DB: Can you describe your use of basalt and wood together?

BHC: For me, whether it’s stone or wood, I don’t really distinguish by material type. I follow the texture of the stone or the particular properties of the wood — what you might call its materiality. When I look at basalt, I notice that it’s a single solid piece. So when I use that single piece, if a shape emerges from the stone, I follow that shape to create something.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

DB: How do your cross-cultural encounters shape your practice?

BHC: When I was young, I experienced a lot of ancient areas from the Mayan and Incan cultures, as well as Roman and Greek ruins. When you go to the ruins, the stones from the collapsed structures are scattered all over the place. Maybe there are even some inscriptions on them. In Korea too, the old temples — the wooden buildings are now all gone, destroyed by fire, and only those stone remnants are left behind.

I try to find my own identity within the Korean identity — an identity that is different from China and Japan, and unique to Korea. I’ve seen many similarities between these cultures, but after traveling across the world, I wanted to focus on Korean Heritage through my work.

I want to distinguish the cultural elements between Korean culture and Chinese and Japanese cultures. They may seem similar, but there are differences. I want to discover the Korean essence and incorporate it into my work.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

DB: How can viewers read what is essentially Korean?

BHC: Korean design is not overly flashy, but embraces nature just as it is, untouched. So, what we’re doing here, this is like experiencing tangerines—something very familiar in Korean knowledge — but here, we feel the landscape, the nature, even indoors. This is the Korean sensibility. Instead of decorating it in a flashy way, we remember the deep flavor of nature in a place like this. This is what makes it Korean.

During the time of the Joseon Dynasty, Chinese and Japanese design was very decorative. That is the key difference. Koreans collected stones, which they didn’t sculpt very much. They left the stones as they were found in nature. In my work, I try to express the surface of the natural stone as it was found.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

DB: After a lifetime of teaching and practicing and what continues to challenge you or surprise you about your work or the materials?

BHC: I’m constantly making an effort to be surprised, to feel some kind of stimulation. For example, I keep traveling, or I watch artist films. Not long ago, I saw one like that, a film about the painter Anselm Kiefer. By watching things like that, I continue striving to discover something new.

Even after retirement, I’ve always kept that in mind — making an effort like that to maintain the vitality of my work. I think about it often and put in a lot of effort.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

DB: What is one piece of advice you would give to an emerging designer?

BHC: It’s not about doing something to yourself within fixed boundaries, but rather about intentionally setting certain limits for yourself—and then flipping those limits, challenging the boundaries of your own thinking.

Everything is possible — that’s how I see it. In art, whether it’s fine art, design, or craft, there’s no need to draw strict boundaries between these fields. Those divisions aren’t necessary. So, follow your heart and seek out a new world. I’m still on the journey of finding my voice.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Byung Hoon Choi | photo by Izzy Leung

project info:

exhibition title: Voice of Silence

artist: Byung Hoon Choi | @atelier_choi

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY

on view: March 27th — May 23rd, 2025

photography: © Izzy Leung | @izzyleung

The post byung hoon choi discusses ancient influences and korean craft at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

British designer Faye Toogood returns to New York with her latest exhibition, Assemblage 7: Lost and Found II, marking her fourth solo show with Friedman Benda. Originally previewed in Los Angeles in 2022 and at Chatsworth House in 2023, Toogood’s acclaimed body of work explores the interplay between materials and time. This New York premiere, on view from January 11th until March 15th, 2025, reveals new aspects of her creative process through two key materials: English oak and Purbeck marble.

Faye Toogood is known for her ability to reinterpret classical forms and references from art history, using diverse mediums such as sculpture, furniture, and fashion. Her works have cemented her as a leading figure in contemporary design, with pieces like the iconic Roly-Poly chair (2014) gaining international recognition. Toogood’s approach combines the familiar with the avant-garde, creating pieces that feel at once timeless and modern.

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood | photo by Izzy Leung

the evolution of the artist’s ‘assemblages’

Artist Faye Toogood’s career is punctuated by a series of thematic works known as Assemblages. Each represents a distinct exploration of ideas, materials, and forms. Her first collaboration with gallery Friedman Benda, Assemblage 5, was inspired by Henri Matisse’s Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence and explored elements such as water, earth, and the moon. In Assemblage 6, she sought to break away from traditional design methods, building a new vocabulary for furniture using everyday materials.

Assemblage 7: Lost and Found II is a personal investigation into the concepts of loss, reworking, and reclamation. Focusing on two materials — English oak and Purbeck marble — Toogood investigates British craftsmanship and material heritage. Both materials are historically significant: oak has long been a staple in British construction, while Purbeck marble, a rare limestone, has been quarried since antiquity. Each piece in the exhibition showcases the unique qualities of these materials, with oak finished using the traditional shellacking technique, and Purbeck marble hand-carved to reveal its natural stratigraphy.

portrait of Faye Toogood, Assemblage 7 process | photo © Geneiveve Lutkin

exploring materials as an ‘archaeological dig’

In this latest iteration, Assemblage 7, Faye Toogood approaches sculpture more closely than ever before. Each piece began as a clay model, with Toogood likening the process of working with oak and marble to an ‘archaeological dig,’ where ancient material memories emerge as contemporary forms. The pieces, titled Plot, Cairn, Barrow, Hill, Hoard, and Lode, evoke the sense of discovering lost places and forgotten elements. Toogood’s work evokes a feeling of excavation, uncovering something ‘prehistoric’ that has been hidden from time.

With Assemblage 7: Lost and Found II, Faye Toogood once again challenges traditional design boundaries, hybridizing the old with the new. The transformation of traditional oak and Purbeck marble, lends a reimagining of history through a modern lens, giving shape to pieces that bridge the gap between the past and the present.

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

‘Assemblage 7’ process | photo courtesy Friedman Benda and Faye Toogood

project info:

exhibition: Assemblage 7: Lost and Found II

artist: Faye Toogood | @t_o_o_g_o_o_d

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY

on view: January 11th — March 15th, 2025

photography: © Izzy Leung, Geneiveve Lutkin

The post faye toogood presents ‘assemblage 7: lost and found II’ at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Italian artist Enrico Marone Cinzano opens at Friedman Benda in New York with his solo show Obsessed By Nature. As the title suggests, the diverse works on view are informed by the artist’s obsession with the beauty and logic of the natural world. Marone Cinzano describes his practice as an exploration of contrasts, where discarded materials and industrial remnants are transformed into sculptural objects that evoke both organic fluidity and structural precision. ‘What was becomes something else,’ he tells designboom in an interview ahead of the show’s opening, describing his process of reimagining overlooked materials into timeless functional objects. Obsessed By Nature is on view at Friedman Benda New York from November 14th — December 14th, 2024.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, portrait | all images courtesy Friedman Benda

discarded materials become functional art AT FRIEDMAN BENDA

Enrico Marone Cinzano’s works on view at Friedman Benda’s New York gallery are informed by his fascination with contrast. In the exhibition, materials such as African ebony, shark skin from the food industry, and World War II tank prisms find new life in unexpected forms. ‘I love contrast,’ he says. ‘Using a super rough, natural surface and then contrasting it with shiny or matte materials has always fascinated me.’ This ethos extends to the collection’s diverse origins, from Indian junkyards to military discharges in Italy, where he uncovers forgotten elements to be repurposed. For the artist, this process is not about sustainability as a trend but about respecting the inherent circularity of nature. ‘Nature has all the answers,’ he asserts, underscoring the foundation of his practice.

While he was never formally trained, he credits his Italian heritage and time spent in Tuscany for his sensitivity to aesthetics. ‘There’s a reason the Renaissance happened there,’ he reflects, noting the region’s unmatched light and colors. His work embraces nature’s imperfections, blending them with human craftsmanship to create objects that challenge traditional design boundaries. Despite his hard-edged creations, the designer hints at a softer direction for the future. ‘Seeing my work together, I realize it’s quite hard. I think it’s time to go fluffy,’ he muses, imagining the next evolution of his artistic narrative. Read designboom’s full interview with Enrico Marone Cinzano below!

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Rosa, 2021

a dialogue with Enrico Marone Cinzano

designboom (DB): This is your first solo show with Friedman Benda. Might you give us a bit of context about your background and your work?

Enrico Marone Cinzano (EMC): I’m from Italy, although I left when I was very young. Specifically, I spent a lot of time in Tuscany. There’s an innate sense of aesthetics there, especially with light and colors, because we have amazing colors. There’s a good reason why the Renaissance was there, not somewhere else. I’m born in Torino, which is a Baroque city, and extremely driven by the court, because the king was living there. So the whole city is very designed. I always liked aesthetics. I’m untrained, unschooled, and unknown. This gives me an advantage of some sort, because there’s no provenance to what I do.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Marmo, 2023

EMC continued: I’m obsessed by nature and materials. In the case of these two lamps, it was the original stones, which were discarded stones, that really fascinated me. In case of the green ‘Verde’ lamp, it was this log that I found in India that had an incredible patina. In the case of the four ‘Piego’ chairs, it was finding these huge blocks of materials that have been left over from previous productions. I also studied the properties of the stones. Some stones are cooling, some are soothing, some are grounding. In the case of the two ‘Marmo’ night tables, they are made with shark skin left over from the food industry. The ebony is African ebony that was left over from a production at a previous job.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Basculante, 2024

DB: You’ve also integrated headlamps into some of these works?

EMC: The head lamps come from a junkyard in India. The caps for the lights on the ‘Bianca’ lamp are actually resistors for high tension wiring. For the ‘Rosa Tank Lamp,’ I used prisms from World War Two tanks, which were used to see the enemy from inside the tank. I think that there’s so much talk about war right now, so I decided, ‘screw it, let’s do it pink.’ I love contrast. Contrast has always been something that I was fascinated by. I love the idea of using a super rough, natural surface and then contrasting it with shiny or matte materials.

The design process is actually quite easy for me. I don’t design, I find something and I build on it. I find something that I like, and then I generally purchase it and put it away. Then maybe six months or a year later, I revisit it and realize what I want to build with it.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Verde, 2024

DB: You must have a lot of objects and materials stored!

EMC: I have a crazy storage room, with crazy materials — things that people just leave in a junkyard. Some elements come from Italy in a junkyard near Cecina, I found some from a military discharge in Torino. Some are from India. I am also working on a piece that’s made of military radios which I got on eBay. There are many things that are just discarded which are super cool. 

Maybe most of my work is not very feminine, but this piece, ‘Basculante,’ is a mechanism for a nursing chair made with ball bearings from trucks contrasted with glass. This was a nightmare to engineer. Like I said, I’m not schooled and I’m not trained. Unlike other people, I don’t think what can be done. I imagine what I want to see, and that becomes a nightmare for the people that work for me. I told them I want the base to be completely glass. I want to see the mechanism, the transparency. On top is a Ferrari chair I found in a junkyard contrasting with fossilized wood.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Dondolo Chair, 2016

DB: We’re seeing a lot of repurposed materials in this collection. Is this important to you from an environmental perspective, or is the minimal waste aspect a secondary result?

EMC: Years ago I realized that ‘sustainability’ was being monetized for business, and in some ways it wasn’t real. That turned me off from sustainability, but I still had that thought in the back of my head. In some ways it didn’t make sense, but overall it did. So I moved away from sustainability and into nature, and I saw that nature is circular. Now I just think that you can make some really cool stuff, and you can still be respectful.

One day I had to fly to London to give a talk, and an audience member confronted me for my carbon emissions. Another time, a woman confronted me for wearing an old fur jacket. I told her, ‘Let’s slash it. If you think that’s more constructive than me repurposing an old garment that is made of fur, go right ahead.’ But I don’t think that it’s a rational way of approaching it. You have to be reasonable. People get very caught up in being moralistic, and look where that got us.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Sbieco, 2024

DB: Hopefully we’re going in the right direction.

EMC: The pendulum does swing. If we go too far on the wrong side, we will go back to the right side. Everything has an equal and opposite reaction. My obsession with nature is because I think that nature has all the answers. That’s the only message I like to give out. It’s not about recycling, repurposing, or sustainability. This is not for me. But the answers are definitely in nature.

DB: Do you spend a lot of time in nature, or is it something that you admire from afar?

EMC: I’m a very visual person. That’s why I’m an artist. I have never seen a color, a shape, a shade, or anything in nature that was wrong. Nature has incredible mathematics, physics, chemistry, ethics, philosophy. Whenever I go into nature, I see answers personally. It’s beautiful, it’s correct. There is intelligence in nature.

DB: Nature can often be quite destructive. Some regions have devastating storms, for instance.

EMC: Then we shouldn’t be living there! Nature has rhythms, and we want everything to be binary. But life is not binary, so this is our mistake. Secondly, that is nature reacting — from greenhouse gasses and so on. Who will win between nature and us? Always nature.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Bianca, 2024

DB: Touching on a comment you made earlier, do you see your work as being generally more masculine?

EMC: Seeing it all together, I now realize that my work is quite hard. I would like to explore getting a little bit softer. I think it’s time to go fluffy. I’ve always had dogs, and I always had Rottweilers. Now I want to get a tiny, bitchy Pomeranian, and I want him to run the show (laughing). I also found chickens that have feathers that are like fur! They’re actually very fluffy and they’re soft. So I think I’m going to go soft now.

Enrico Marone Cinzano, Piego (Yellow), 2024

project info:

exhibition title: Enrico Marone Cinzano: Obsessed By Nature

artist: Enrico Marone Cinzano | @enricomaronecinzano

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY

on view: November 14th, 2024 — December 14th, 2024

photography: © Friedman Benda

The post ‘I’ve never seen a color that was wrong’: enrico marone cinzano exhibits at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Marking Andile Dyalvane’s fourth exhibition at Friedman Benda, the New York gallery opened OoNomathotholo: Ancestral Whispers, the latest body of work by the South African artist. The work on view is a vibrant and textural  collection of sculptural ceramic pieces, which express the artist’s journey from his early influences — especially from his Xhosa heritage — his processes, and his evolving form-finding techniques. The show’s title reflects the generational knowledge and experiences passed down through the Xhosa people of South Africa. Dyalvane’s work channels these legacies and communal histories, and intertwines them with contemporary narratives. 

Alongside the ceramic works on view from September 5th — November 2nd, 2024 at Friedman Benda, the artist was joined by two of his artistic collaborators — one being his wife — who together held a ceremonial performance to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. designboom was in attendance to experience their song, and to hear the artist describe the collection in his own words.

images courtesy Friedman Benda and Andile Dyalvane, install photography © Izzy Leung | video © designboom

andile dyalvane is driven by a connection to the earth

Commonly regarded as one of South Africa’s premier ceramic artists, Andile Dyalvane is also known as a healer and spiritual leader. His work, showcased in New York by Friedman Benda, is drawn from his upbringing in the small village of Ngobozana. Located near Qobo-Qobo in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, this village is where he was immersed in the traditions of his Xhosa heritage. Here, he developed a deep connection to the land at an early age while learning to farm and tend cattle — a relationship that resonates throughout his work today. Clay, which the artist sometimes refers to as umhlaba (mother earth), is central to his practice and reflects this long-lasting connection to the soil and the land.

‘As a child coming from the countryside, we had livestock which connected us with the forest and the river. Clay was a medium that we used to play games. When we reached a certain age, or milestone, the elders of the community were tasked with guiding our nature to see what we were called to do,’ the artist explains at the show’s opening at Friedman Benda’s New York gallery. ‘One day I went to the city and studied art. Ceramics was one of the subjects that I was drawn to because it reminded me of where I came from. In our language, we recognize ‘objects of ritual,’ while exposure to Western education can provide tools that can uplift the gifts that we have. For me, clay was one of those objects.’

OoNomathotholo: Ancestral Whispers, is an exploration of the artist’s Xhosa heritage and personal journey

scars and intentional imperfections

The exhibition at Friedman Benda, OoNomathotholo: Ancestral Whispers, features a series of large, sculptural vessels which Andile Dyalvane created over a two-year period. Imperfect forms and textures symbolize both a connection to the land and themes of grief and resilience. 

The scarred and collapsing surfaces of Dyalvane’s pieces express his influences from the natural world, especially the river gullies and cliffs of his home — the very clay he uses is sourced from rivers near his birthplace. With so-called ‘happy accidents,’ the vessels are intentionally collapsed in a way that mimics the rough crevices and valleys of the terrain. Meanwhile, deep cuts and incisions along the surfaces evoke the Xhosa practice of scarification, a visual reminder of his heritage. This way, both the vessel and the clay itself become a direct connection to the earth, communicating the ‘whispers of his ancestors,’ the show’s namesake.

ceramic pieces are inspired by the natural world and themes of grief, resilience, and connection to the land

Dyalvane elaborates on the first ‘happy accident’ to inform his workflow: ‘The very first piece I made that collapsed was intended at first to be perfect, like a beautiful form. While I was working, I was listening to certain sounds that have a frequency which helps me to realize the messages or the objects. At this time, I was in a very old studio with a wooden floor.

‘As I was dancing to the sounds, the piece behind me started to sway and then it collapsed. It was so beautiful. Those days I was paying homage to my childhood playground, which was the crevices of the river Donga, which has this kind of effect. When that happened, I thought: ‘Wow! Thank you Universe, thank you Spirit.’ It was a collaboration between the medium, time, and gravity.’

‘OoNomathotholo’ translates to ‘ancestral whispers,’ signifying generational knowledge passed down

friedman benda exhibits the artist’s evolution

As two years of work are showcased all together, viewers can detect the artist’s gradually changing style and processes. A pile of humble, charred clay pots, ‘x 60 Pots,’ is clustered around a vibrantly colored, sculptural totem, ‘Ixhanti.’ An array of larger vessels in similar vibrant hues is arranged in a circle at the center of the gallery, while four early vessels stand before the window, expressing the more neutral tones which are characteristic of the clay itself. Over the course of his process, Dyalvane introduced the vibrant color palette to evoke the wildflowers and scorched earth of his homeland, along with the sparkling blue waters that he had come to know throughout his travels. 

Dyalvane recounts the introduction of blue throughout his newer works: ‘When I was in St. Ives (at a residency at Leach Pottery in Cornwall, UK), what tends to happen when I work — either during a residency, in my studio, or wherever I am — is that I reflect what I see. I saw the landscape, the water, and the beautiful country. I took many walks. As I was exploring, I didn’t know my intention, but I was drawn to places that centered on water. I noticed that the fluidity of water is similar to fluidity of clay. When you are able to move the clay, it consists of much more water. I was drawn to this blue because it was reflective of what I was processing and seeing at the time.’

Dyalvane’s work intertwines traditions and legacies with contemporary narratives

working through personal grief

Many of the works on view at Friedman Benda emerged during the pandemic, a time of personal loss for the artist and collective loss across the world. While the pieces are infused with themes of trauma and grief, they aim to offer a path toward harmony and renewal. The ‘happy accidents’ of intentional collapse symbolize moments of loss, but also points of strength and renewal, embodying personal mourning.

The artist continues, describing how his process evolved as he began to experiment with clay, creating imperfections, and working through grief: ‘There was something to draw from that first moment of collapse. After that, I began to create an intentional accident — and that’s not possible. I had to collapse the pieces intentionally. This was during the pandemic, when I lost two brothers. I used clay as a tool to heal, and to interrogate and process the emotions I was having. That’s where I started making this object. The way that I was tearing them and moving them, it was me expressing the grief that I was feeling. So intentionally, I had them cracked at the bottom.’

Dyalvane’s work is rooted in his village upbringing and his deep connection to the land

reconnecting with heritage through clay

It was not just grief from the loss of his brothers which drove his work. One of the key themes across OoNomathotholo: Ancestral Whispers is the disconnection from ancestral lands. The sculptural vessels, with their rich textures and vibrant color palettes, trace their origins to a modest clay pot — a traditional artifact of the artist’s homeland which stores memories and tradition for his displaced family and his neighbors.

He explains the origin of his ceramic works, and the spirit of reconnecting with his heritage: ‘About fifteen years ago, I made a clay pot. As a student, I was orientated in making functional objects — clay pots, bowls, cups, things that you can use. One of the objects was a ceremonial clay pot that was used for drinking traditional beer or storing grain. In 1964 when my parents and my eldest brother were forcefully moved, their homes and the artifacts inside were destroyed and looted. I grew up seeing none of the artifacts, ‘objects of ritual,’ that my great grandparents used to use.

intentional collapses and imperfections mimic the rough crevices and valleys of the landscape

‘I chose to take this used clay pot from Cape Town, a twelve-hour drive from my village, and offered it to my retired father. He was so emotional. He cried because it reminded him of all the time that had been lost and ceremonies suppressed. This brought such emotion by reminding him of those times. After that, he called the whole village. He said: ‘After forty-five years, no one has used these objects.

‘Once they were all together, they remembered. They remembered the souls, the sounds, and the ancient smells of their parents’ ways of being. And so this was something that sparked that memory from them. In 2020 we made about one hundred of these clay pots, because the village has about one hundred homes. We gifted one for each home as a way of igniting that memory.’

through his art, Dyalvane honors the memories and traditions of his displaced family and community

project info: 

project title: OoNomathotholo: Ancestral Whispers

artist: Andile Dyalvane | @andiledyalvane

gallery: gallery | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St. New York, NY

on view: September 5th — November 2nd, 2024

video: © designboom

photography: © Izzy Leung, Hayden Phipps, Phoebe Dheurle

The post ‘I used clay as a tool to heal’: andile dyalvane’s ‘ancestral whispers’ show at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Friedman Benda announces the opening of Paris-based Israeli designer Raphael Navot’s first solo exhibition at its Los Angeles gallery. Born in 1977 in Jerusalem, the artist has established a distinguished career in design and interior architecture. He runs his own studio in Paris, where he continues to explore and innovate within the realms of design. By 2023, he had been awarded Maison&Objet Designer of the Year — see designboom’s coverage here!

The exhibition, titled Reverberations, will run from July 11th to September 25th, 2024, and will showcase Navot’s unique visual language and artistic sensibility within the gallery’s intimate, residential setting overlooking West Hollywood. Reverberations is the largest presentation of Navot’s work to date, emphasizing his ability to synthesize various elements such as proportion, volume, material, palette, construction, and motif. Each table and chair on display within the exhibition is crafted with nuance and precision, which reflects Navot’s dedication to creating works that resonate with design-minded viewers.

Raphael Navot, Acrostic Overlay Armchair (Left), 2021, image © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt
all images courtesy of Friedman Benda and Raphael Navot

raphael navot sets off reverberations in design

Reverberations, the title of the exhibition at Friedman Benda, alludes to Raphael Navot’s aim to create pieces that ‘reverberate across the currents of the origins of design’ itself. His works are conceived in response to the fundamental human need for connection with one’s body, offering an intuitive sense of composition without sacrificing functionality. Marking his West Coast debut, the artist introduces to LA his acclaimed Acrostic seating pieces at this exhibition. This collection highlights his innovative use of materials such as fine upholstery, wood, eco-resin, and concrete, demonstrating how traditional elements can be re-shaped in ways we might not expect.

Raphael Navot, Tripus, 2023, image © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt

traditional handcraft reexamined

At Friedman Benda, designer Raphael Navot stresses the importance of craftsmanship, emphasizing the touch of the hand and the tradition embedded in each piece. He comments, ‘There is something about craft, the touch of the hand, the work behind it, the magic of just the material itself and the fact that we can actually see and feel the tradition, the heritage, the knowledge that is so embedded in the piece itself.’ With Reverberations, Navot reexamines traditional European handcraft techniques through the lens of advanced contemporary technology. This approach allows him to push the boundaries of his chosen materials, creating innovative and surprising works.

Raphael Navot, Clast (Translucent Stream), 2022, image © Daniel Kukla
Raphael Navot, Quartet Chair, 2022, image © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt
Raphael Navot, Whale Armchair, 2021, image © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt

Rafael Navot, Whale Chairs, 2021, image © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt

Raphael Navot, Senza Misura, 2020, image © Vincent Leroux

Raphael Navot, Knots Bench, 2021

project info:

exhibition title: Reverberations

designer: Raphael Navot | @raphael_navot

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 8260 Marmont Lane, Los Angeles, California

on view: July 11th — September 25th, 2024

photography: © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, Daniel Kukla, Vincent Leroux

The post designer raphael navot debuts ‘reverberations’ at friedman benda’s los angeles gallery appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Friedman Benda‘s New York gallery opens Opacity, transparency, and everything in between, the second solo show of Lebanese designer Najla El Zein. This collection centers on layers of perception and understanding, bridging the tangible and intangible through innovative use of stone, glass, and ceramic. El Zein underscores the essence of her work: ‘The show reflects on one’s initial perceptions, misunderstandings, and the necessity to decipher the layers beneath, as truth often lies between the lines.’ While she is most familiar with stone, this thematic exploration led her to experiment with new materials — glass and ceramic — each lending new discoveries through their unique qualities. 

Group of Five, Najla El Zein | image © Diana Merhez, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein

interview with najla el zein

designboom interviewed artist Najla El Zein at Friedman Benda‘s opening of Opacity, transparency, and everything in between, where she shared her motivations through this new body of work: ‘The show resists the boundaries of what you see, what you don’t see, what you understand, what you don’t understand. What I’m really interested in is the space in-between these two realities, which is so complex, so rich, and so beautiful.’ This fascination guided her selection of stone, glass, and ceramic, materials that echo the Earth’s natural processes and transformations.

Group of Five | image © Diana Merhez, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein

One of the standout pieces, ‘Group of Five,’ exemplifies El Zein’s exploration of group dynamics. She described the piece: ‘It explores the notion of group dynamics. I wanted to create a piece that would be gradually discovered. At first you see it as a cohesive group of distinct personalities that are interacting with another. Then when you turn around it, you start discovering new curvatures, new movements.’ This method of engagement invites viewers to continuously uncover new aspects of the work, mirroring the complexities of human relationships.

Family of Three | image © Damien Arlettaz, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein

While Najla El Zein notes that her venture into glasswork was challenging, it led to important discoveries about both the material and the collaborative process, which she discussed at Friedman Benda: ‘In the beginning, because I was coming from the world of stone, I wanted to control every single aspect of the glass and what I wanted it to become,‘ she explained. ‘The first hot shop was a disaster… But as persistent as I am, I kept going back, and every time with new models.’ This perseverance paid off when she and her team reached a level of intuitive understanding, resulting in the creation of the ‘Ensemble’ series. ‘The name of the works, Ensemble, comes from the musical connotation, because it’s really about that. It’s about the performance and orchestra, a choreography, a connection between each glassblower.’

Lover’s Bench | image © Damien Arlettaz, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein

Ceramic presented a different set of challenges and surprises. El Zein recounted her experience: ‘I began to work with ceramic, which is a material of mystery and chance. You cannot control ceramic, and that was accepted from the beginning.’ The large-scale piece Family of Three required thoughtful construction and an acceptance of the material’s unpredictability. ‘The result was something completely different, because the glaze continued moving in the kiln. I was amazed by that, and it was such an incredible surprise. It reminds me of bones. The seams even look like articulations.’

Ensemble no.06 | image © Frans Parthesius, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein

At Friedman Benda, Opacity, transparency, and everything in between shows Najla El Zein’s relentless pursuit of understanding. Her work invites viewers to discover the layers of perception and human connection. As she puts it, ‘My objective with this series of works is to convey such understanding and nuances through the dimensions of time, space, materiality, light, reflection, use, touch, and emotions, hoping to discover answers and provoke new questions.’ While the show is a display of art, it is also an exploration of life’s intricacies, captured through the transformations of stone, glass, and ceramic.

exhibition view | image © designboom

Group of Five (detail) | image © designboom
Ensemble no.36 | image © designboom

exhibition view | image © designboom

project info:

exhibition title: Opacity, transparency, and everything in between

artist: Najla El Zein | @najlaelzein

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St. New York, NY

on view: June 27th — August 27th, 2024

photography: © Frans Parthesius, courtesy of Friedman Benda, Najla El Zein (unless otherwise stated)

The post at friedman benda, najla el zein exhibits soft sculptures of stone, ceramic and glass appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Italian artist Enrico Marone Cinzano presents the Rosa Tank Lamp with Friedman Benda at the 18th edition of Design Miami/ Basel 2024. Joining a group installation at the gallery’s Booth 2 on sculptural design, the monochromatic Rosa Tank Lamp has been consciously crafted by combining a large slab of leftover pink onyx and recovered World War II tank prisms illuminated with LED light. Marone Cinzano’s piece is exhibited alongside Ini Archibong, Wendell Castle, Carmen D’Apollonio, Misha Kahn, Samuel Ross, Ettore Sottsass, and Barbora Žilinskaitė. Through this collective show, the gallery examines idiosyncratic visual languages, material choices, and distinct processes by eight leading studios.

all images courtesy Friedman Benda and Enrico Marone Cinzano

Rosa Tank Lamp blends pink onyx with WWII tank prisms

Born from an idea after Enrico Marone Cinzano (see more here) purchased a large slab of leftover pink onyx sourced in Italy, the translucent rock forms the base of a hand-painted steel structure encased with recovered World War II tank prisms illuminated with LED lights. The Rosa Tank Lamp exhibited at Design Miami/ Basel explores the artist’s interest in nature and the environment by producing designs focused on sustainable and found materials, combining pink hues with industrial materials. The unique work blends craftsmanship, a profoundly conscious and ethical approach to repurposing recovered materials, and proportions influenced by the Golden Ratio.

Enrico Marone Cinzano presents the Rosa Tank Lamp

enrico marone cinzano leverages the golden ratio

A self-taught Italian designer, Marone Cinzano creates unique works devoid of restricted rules and informed by a strong visual memory, influenced by Italy’s architecturally rich cities, such as Florence, Rome, and Turin. His ideas draw from many facets, such as his fascination with physics, mathematics, nature, and sociology, intertwined to construct a holistic approach to design. His inspiration from the Golden Ratio helps create an organically balanced design. The ratio itself comes from the Fibonacci sequence (named after the Italian mathematician Leonardo Bonacci), a naturally occurring sequence of numbers that can be found everywhere, from the number of leaves on a tree to the shape of a seashell. This formula helps formulate dimensional relationships between art and design and, eventually, the creation of harmonious compositions.

This scientific discipline has informed Enrico’s use of a hybrid of sustainable, durable, and recycled materials. Later this year, Enrico will also stage his first solo exhibition in the US at Friedman Benda Gallery in New York from November 14th to December 22nd, 2024.

recovered World War II tank prisms illuminated with LED lights

seven other participants at friedman benda’s booth

Exhibiting beside the Italian artist, Samuel Ross presents Fire Open Stone (2022), which explores the connections between body, material, meaning, and memory, drawing inspiration from West African furniture, modernism, and brutalism. Up next is Misha Kahn with her Saturday Morning series mirrors comprising sewn flexible vinyl molds and cast resin with references to historical motifs, and Mole Eats Worm (2020) sofa, Barbora Žilinskaitėalso joins the group installation with Sunbather (2023), a piece reflective of her exploration of brightly colored dyes and surrealistic organic corporeal forms. Meanwhile, Ettore Sottsass’ Aluminum Cabinet (C) and (D) (2024) reflect the designer’s pursuit of craftsmanship, moving away from industrial materials during the last fifteen years of his life.

As for Carmen D’Apollonio, she explores humor and fun with two ceramic lighting pieces, blending diverse influences from the modern art history canon, with references ranging from ancient Greek and Roman statuary to 20th-century British potters and Modernist painters. Keeping up with lighting pieces, Ini Archibong presents the monumental Dark Vernus 1 chandelier as a suspended gathering of vessel-like forms and his Shade Table made of shaded obsidian. And last, Wendell Castle completes the group show with the No Bounds (2017) table, which belongs to a series of textured cast-bronze works he realized at the end of his career. Combining the wood-laminating process he pioneered earlier in his career with 21st-century digital technology, this major work testifies to Castle’s prolific imagination.

pink onyx as the base of the Rosa Tank Lamp

inspired by the Golden Ratio

Booth 2 at Design Miami / Basel | image courtesy Friedman Benda via Instagram

image courtesy Friedman Benda via Instagram

image courtesy Friedman Benda via Instagram

project info:

name: Rosa Tank Lamp 

artist: Enrico Marone Cinzano | @enricomaronecinzano

location: Hall 1 Sud Messe Basel, Switzerland | Booth 2

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

other booth participants: Ini Archibong, Wendell Castle, Carmen D’Apollonio, Misha Kahn,
Samuel Ross, Ettore Sottsass, and Barbora Žilinskaitė

program: Design Miami/ Basel 2024 | @designmiami

viewing dates: June 10-16, 2024

The post enrico marone cinzano’s LED lamp at design miami/ basel is encased with WWII tank prisms appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Friedman Benda‘s new exhibition, Under Present Conditions, explores contemporary design’s response to pressing environmental and social issues. The show departs from the typical focus on mass production and instead centers on the exploration of materials and their potential. Twelve artists from across the globe are highlighted, lending a diverse range with each work representing a story of its origins. Rather than sustainability, the theme of ‘responsible consumption’ unites the pieces on display. Designers reimagine the life cycle of materials drawn from their immediate surroundings, so that functional pieces and design objects are crafted from both locally-sourced waste and natural materials.

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

inside ‘under present conditions’

With its show, Under Present Conditions, Friedman Benda celebrates artists which address political or systemic issues through their works. For instance, Hamed Ouattara from Burkina Faso challenges disposability by giving new life to discarded objects, especially oil drums. This work sheds light on the unequal global consumption patterns, as the country has been overloaded with this wasted material.

Meanwhile, the renowned Brazilian Estúdio Campana similarly reuses waste products, especially cotton rope, to demonstrate the power of simple solutions and craftsmanship in transforming this material. British designer Max Lamb showcases the potential of recycled cardboard, pushing its structural limits and elevating a commonly disregarded material.

Studio Raw Material, based in India, connects with the regional landscape along with its local community’s material culture, which centers around the stone industry. The team’s work features puzzled compositions of stacked marble offcuts discarded by nearby quarries. Of course, Mexican designer Fernando Laposse challenges the socio-economic impact of the avocado industry by finding new uses for avocado waste (see designboom’s interview with Laposse during his solo show here).

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

Friedman Benda’s exhibition Under Present Conditions also explores how designers are embracing technology to unlock hidden properties within materials. British designer Paul Cocksedge challenges traditional production methods and our dependence on fossil fuels. His work ’20 Trees’ (2023) shows an assemblage of glittering Anthracite, a type of coal. The title refers to the estimated number of trees it would take to offset the carbon emissions produced if the anthracite in the sculpture were burned

Dutch designer Joris Laarman blends the boundaries between design and science, using computational techniques to create nature-inspired forms. With the newly completed Ply Loop Chair, Laarman demonstrates the first bio-degradable plywood, which is made with a plant-based resin called Plantics.

Meanwhile, Chilean studio gt2P (Great Things to People) blends parametric methodology with a deep appreciation for local materials and landscapes — its ‘Remolten’ pieces are created with volcanic lava drippings, which seem to ooze down a stoneware substructure.

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

Under Present Conditions spotlights designers who actively engage with natural processes in their work. UK-based studio Full Grown defies traditional manufacturing by employing photosynthesis to create furniture objects, literally growing them rather than building them.

Israeli designer Erez Nevi Pana harnesses Dead Sea salt to create a unique sculpture that combines natural and industrial elements. A loofah is transformed through a process of salt crystallization, potentially hardening and texturing it. This altered loofah is then displayed within a custom frame made from wood and aluminum — the artwork plays with the contrast between organic and geometric shapes, and the transformation of a common object through a scientific process.

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma highlights the life cycle of flax, challenging its commodification and creating pieces that reflect the agricultural landscapes where the material originates. Marlène Huissoud, a French designer, makes use of natural and often overlooked materials like silkworm cocoons and bee resin to create sculptural pieces that raise ethical questions about humanity’s impact on the environment.

By showcasing these diverse practices, Under Present Conditions offers a comprehensive look at how designers are addressing the challenges of our time. The exhibition demonstrates the power of materials to tell their own stories, reflecting the environments from which they come and the human actions that shape them.

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

installation view, Under Present Conditions, image © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda

project info:

exhibition title: Under Present Conditions

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St. New York, NY

on view: May 2nd — June 15th, 2024

photography: © Izzy Leung (installation images)

The post friedman benda exhibits diverse material experimentation with ‘under present conditions’ appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Friedman Benda presents On the Road, a new exhibition by the renowned Brazilian design studio Estúdio Campana. This marks the studio’s fifth solo show at the gallery and the first with the studio’s co-founder Humberto Campana as the sole principal designer following the passing of his brother Fernando in November 2022. The exhibition opens a new chapter for both the studio and Campana himself, signifying the 40th anniversary of Estúdio Campana. designboom met with Humberto Campana at Friedman Benda’s New York gallery during the opening of On the Road. Estudio Campana’s co-founder discussed his new directions and inspirations during this transition in his life, along with his larger project in Brazil.

portrait of Humberto Campana, courtesy Friedman Benda

reflection through design

The Brazilian designer describes On the Road at Friedman Benda as a reflection during a period of significant change for both Estúdio Campana and for himself personally. ‘The inspiration behind the [exhibition] title means I’m still on the road,’ Campana tells designboom. ‘You know, my brother went away, but he’s still here. When you lose someone, another door opens, and this door has opened very wide in my mind. I’ve been so inspired since that. I keep moving all the time, it’s a way to not remember that he’s not here.’ The exhibition embodies this sentiment, showcasing a renewed focus on nature, spirituality, and the potential for creation and beauty found in unexpected places.
installation view | photography by Timothy Doyon, courtesy Friedman Benda, Estúdio Campana

estúdio campana Celebrates Craft and Local Materials

Still, Estúdio Campana remains dedicated to exploring and elevating traditional Brazilian craft techniques, which can be seen at the Friedman Benda exhibition. The works presented in ‘On the Road’ feature a variety of local and recycled materials, including adobe, repurposed aluminum scraps, and Jequitibá wood. Campana explains, ‘I’m still keeping the best ideas… from materials, reusing. But bringing maturity with that.’ This commitment to sustainability and honoring heritage is a hallmark of Estúdio Campana’s design philosophy.

On the Road exemplifies Estúdio Campana’s signature approach of imbuing everyday materials with a sense of wonder and emotional resonance. Campana explains, ‘Since the beginning, our work has had this connection with spirituality. They are handmade, tailored objects where you put emotion, love.’ The resulting works are more than just furniture — they are artistic expressions that tell stories and evoke feelings.

installation view | photography by Timothy Doyon, courtesy Friedman Benda, Estúdio Campana

Humberto Campana’s dedication to the environment extends beyond his design practice. He describes his ongoing reforestation project, which includes the establishment of a school and nature preserve in his hometown outside São Paulo. ‘We heritage a piece of land from my family. And we already planted 20,000 native trees, I love to plant trees… We are creating a foundation with twelve green pavilions made with cacti and bamboo.’ This initiative reflects Campana’s belief in the interconnectedness of art, education, and environmental responsibility.

Fernando and Humberto Campana, Jalapão Chair (Branca), 2024

Estúdio Camapana’s Friedman Benda exhibition On the Road serves as a homage to the late Fernando Campana. ‘There are the memories of Fernando, my brother,’ says Humberto. ‘This show is an homage to him. Because he’s still here, inspiring me all the time.’ The exhibition features new works inspired by dreams and conversations with Fernando, showcasing the enduring impact of their creative partnership. These especially include the pieces made with aluminum scraps, an idea which was spearheaded by Fernando, and which Humberto was reluctant at first to embrace.

Fernando and Humberto Campana, Paisagem Console, 2024

Humberto Campana describes himself as constantly ‘on the road,’ always seeking inspiration and pushing creative boundaries. ‘I guess it’s a moment of maturity,’ he reflects. ‘After his passing, a lot of things changed in my life. I’m seventy-one. And I try to be inspired all the time, you know, on the road. Get out of the comfort zone. For me, to get inspired I need to get out. Go to the other side.‘ On the Road embodies this spirit of exploration and the transformative power of artistic expression.

installation view | photography by Timothy Doyon, courtesy Friedman Benda, Estúdio Campana

installation view | photography by Timothy Doyon, courtesy Friedman Benda, Estúdio Campana

installation view | photography by Timothy Doyon, courtesy Friedman Benda, Estúdio Campana

project info:

exhibition title: On the Road

studio: Estúdio Campana | @estudiocampana

designer: Humberto Campana

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St. New York, NY

on view: March 7th — April 20th, 2024

The post interview: humberto campana opens solo exhibition ‘on the road’ at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.