Designers: WonderGlass, Studiopluz, Raw Edges
A project by WonderGlass
Following their successful collaboration at Salone del Mobile 2018, WonderGlass and Studiopluz joined forces once again to present Kosmogonos. It is a word evoking the wonders of the universe as seen through the prism of glass. The exhibition took place inside the Chiesa dell’Ospedaletto and it featured a series of glass works inspired by the mystery of deep space. Themes including gravity, utopia and geometry were explored through a range of works that incorporate the perfection of symmetry juxtaposed against the material inconsistency of glass.
With their work Urban Reflection, the Studiopluz/Wonderlab ponder how might the cities of Earth look like to someone from another planet. Thinking of the alien satellite images from space that show a very different world to the one we know, the creators reflect upon this notion through an intricate maze of glass. When viewed from above, it bares a strong resemblance to a circuit board, an element essential to modern existence that could very well inspire the framework for cities in the future.
Echo, a light sculpture designed by Studiopluz, is meant to reflect sound. "Inspired by the origins of the Universe, the illuminated sculpture plays music that is evocative of the gravitational waves coming from black holes" explains the creative team.
In addition to these glass pieces, the London-based duo Raw Edges - formed by Israeli Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay - presented Horah, an installation composed by 30 spinning lights inspired by a traditional Israeli dance. The sculptural shades featured curved glass leaves which are attached to a pivoting motor. As they gently rotated a clacking sound of the glass occurs at the end of each turn and a gradient of light was cast upon each leaf. The dance that it took its inspiration from originated in the Balkans but was adopted in many other countries.
"The synchronisation of elements has an intriguing factor and provokes a certain emotion and fascination, these sensations we experience as we watch the traditional Israeli dancers of the Horah", says Raw Edges. The individual is attracted by the power of the group’s cohesion and by the fact that a coordinated rhythmic movement greatly strengthens our attention.
The pieces all together created a small galaxy with Echo as the Sun, the glass city as the Earth, and the Horah lamps as four faraway planets.
Invisible cities by J&PEG (detail), installation view and Echoes lamp by Studiopluz (Ph. Leonardo Duggento), Horah by Raw Edges. Ph. Teo Zanin
