Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1376323
process [for "Assemblage 6"], I was seeking a new geometry without any reference to my previous work. For me, the process of "unlearning" meant intuitive play rather than active design. Together with my team, I spent months making hundreds of small maquettes using everyday materials from the studio — paper, tape, wire, canvas, clay, and paint. We took this body of work and turned it into permanent pieces cast in bronze, painted canvas, and wrought steel. There's definitely a trompe l'oeil effect within our work as we play with materials and often shift their traditional use. Huge importance was paid to replicating the original without cleaning up or straightening anything out. Each crumple of the paper, crease in cardboard or tape had to be replicated, small scale to large scale. As a designer, I feel I exposed myself in this exhibition, revealing my process and sharing work at its earliest point of creation. Icon of design. FT: The Roly-Poly chair's shape is very friendly. Its playful, rounded forms were a departure for me from the angles and hard lines of my earlier work. This shift reflected my journey into motherhood and seeing the world through the eyes of a child: Everything had to be smooth and fall-off-able. The shape really resonates with people. I've heard some people are reminded of a baby elephant; others see a 1960s pop chair. Also, at the core of my work is an obsession with materiality. I try to represent a material with honesty, which often results in a basic or elemental shape. By focusing on simple geometry, the eye is drawn to the rawness and natural irregularity of the chosen material rather than being distracted by a complex form. Right now. FT: Currently, I'm exhibiting at the Triennial at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. We took over three galleries of 17th- and 18th-century British, Flemish, and Dutch art, turning them into three spaces — Daylight, Candlelight, and Moonlight — that use light to refer to d i f f e r e n t d o m e s t i c interiors of the time. It's the most total piece of work I've produced. There are artworks from "Assemblage 6," new tapestries, sculptures, and wall paintings. Next. FT: I'm also keen to explore other materials — for example, glassware and possibly jewelry. There's a really close connection between sculpture and jewelry that fascinates me. I'd also love to work with precious metals and precious stones. Dough homeware Roly Poly chair in lithium barium crystal, 2017, Friedman Benda gallery Maquette 115/Clay Sofa, 2020, Friedman Benda gallery 40