In a new exhibition at St. Vincents in Antwerp, Belgium, Lukas Cober of Studio Cober is set to showcase a series of pieces which fall into his latest New Wave collection.
Cober’s work is defined by architectural lines, organic shapes and sculptural expression. He puts the emphasis on raw materials – teasing out their beauty through minimalist concoctions that manifest as furniture pieces.
Among the pieces on display will be a new resin coffee table, an impressively large dining table made using black fibreglass, a large sculptural wall fixture, dining chair, and fibreglass wall shelves.
Cober likes to work directly and intuitively with the materials, using the process of creation as an exercise in research and experimentation. Made on request, each piece is individually built and hand shaped.
As part of his practice, Cober is constantly changing and adjusting details, gaining knowledge while doing so, and remaining open to the possibility of new pieces which might reveal themselves as part of the process.
He chooses to work in collections, giving him the opportunity to apply newly gained knowledge in material research to new objects.
Previous collections include the Kuro collection for which Cober combined graphic outlines in wood, from domed legs to waisted top and tapered edged endings. The pieces carry a charming naivety in form, loosely calling to mind the austereness of Shaker furniture.
Cober’s New Wave collection, by comparison, illustrates the designer’s fascination for the ocean’s force. These are built by hand-layering fibreglass cloth with resin into desired shapes.
After combining the shapes and removing material for smooth transitions and organic contours, the layers of fibreglass unfold in rhythmic lines and the shapes reveal themselves, like silhouettes against the surface.
While resin is popularly used as a casting material in combination with casting moulds, Cober makes pieces from resin that do not produce perfect results. While he does use casting moulds, shape is created by hand, rather than mould. The outcome of that is an object that in its details could never be designed on a computer or built as a 3D model.
Studio Cober
lukascober.com
St. Vincents
stvincents.co
We think you might like this article about the Waffle furniture range by Furnished Forever.
