From his studio in St Kilda, Chris Rak creates sculptures that explore the relationships between object and space.
May 26th, 2011
With a background in both architecture and sculpture, the work of Melbourne-based Chris Rak occupies the space between these 2 fields.
Indesignlive caught up with Chris for an insight into his practice and processes.
How does your architectural training inform your sculpture, and vice versa?
My sculptural and architectural training have allowed me to meld both these object-based and spatial disciplines to create harmonious relationships between object and space and design the transformations that continuously occur between them.
My architectural training has informed me on construction methods, which for me are always integral to the character of the work. ’Graphia’ for example was a large piece which I was able to carry to site, but is so strong and rigid thanks to the architectural principles of the triangulated space frame.
Graphia
I have a purist approach to materials; I like to use honest materials with a long life span which mature and evolve. The building process informs the work and vice versa – metal for my sculpture and earth for our architecture.
My architecture business, Robson Rak, has a number of rammed earth houses being built at the moment. Rammed earth literally entails the builder to ram the earth into form work which is similar to the labour intensiveness used in my sculptures. It also has the organic texture so intrinsic to my sculptures.
Lockington by Robson Rak
Both architecture and sculpture often change in the process of being built and it’s exciting to work with these surprises and challenges. Every gesture has an impact and I look forward to experiencing the consequences of that.
Both disciplines depend on the use of light and I design around that. As in my Metakivos/Kivos range, light is in constant dialogue with my faceted landscapes.
Kivos
Metakivos
You have created pieces for the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. What do you want your pieces to bring to such large-scale commercial projects?
I want my works to help bring a sense of intimacy and scale to such large scale commercial spaces.
How do you want people to react when they encounter your sculptures?
I want people to be intrigued and excited by my work. I want them to discover the hidden elements and the story within them.
I also want people to be bemused and seduced by an object that looks simple and incidental but has required a high level of craft and time to build.
Metakivos
If one of your pieces could take pride of place anywhere in the world, where would it be?
There are many places in the world I’d like one of my pieces to take pride of place. For now though I’d be happy to see one of my large works climbing the face of one of the old buildings in Melbourne’s CBD.
Read more about Chris Rak in Issue 45 of Indesign magazine, available now.
Chris Rak
chrisrak.com
Robson Rak
robsonrak.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Create a configuration to suit your needs with this curved collection.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
Thomas Bentzen presents a friendly and warm character, thoughtful in his responses, intuitive and just a little nostalgic in his approach to furniture solutions for modern working modes. Alice Blackwood meets Thomas at the Muuto stand, at Orgatec.
Gloss Creative aren’t just window-dressers, they claim to produce ‘brandscapes’ – three-dimensional expressions of a brand’s identity.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
When iconic brands wield their influence, the ripples extend far beyond aesthetics. And so when the MillerKnoll collective formed, the very concept of design shifted, supercharging the industry’s aspiration to create a better world into an unwavering sense of responsibility to do so.
Third in the series of boutique hotels under the Lloyd’s Inn brand, Lloyd’s Inn Kuala Lumpur bring the immediacy of nature to the new high-rise hospitality experience in the heart of a bustling city.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.