PROJECT

parley

A sculptural representation of the collision between nature and humankind.

Designed for the central plaza of Shanghai Lujiazui Harbor City, China – a renovated industrial and financial district – the Parley sculpture series proposed an intuitive flourish through which the real-estate development could signal its brand of environmental consciousness.

As urban space can generally be described as an accumulation of rectangular parcels, angular and sleek geometry symbolizes human imprint in the series, while textural buildup, floral, and nonlinear forms refer to non-human space and processes. In each sculpture these forces grapple, their respective aesthetics bound in competing advocacies: the polished, golden faces reflect, multiply and gild the surrounding urban setting, while the sculpted plant elements oxidize, “grow” texture, and reflect the unseen chemical composition of the atmosphere.

Responsibility for the conflict in this relationship is suggested by the signatory reference of the sculptures, designed to recall a set of enormous seals. In the East and Southeast Asian context, the stamp (or seal) has been used for thousands of years to denote acknowledgement or authorship… and in favor of the series’ overall concept, happen to also strike a silhouette similar to that of a modern office tower. The signature of each seal is faced against the ground and concealed by default, encouraging interpretation of the external carvings and emphasizing the dimensions of uncertainty involved in this tournament.

1st Edition, Set of three, 1/1

MEDIUM Cast Bronze with polished mirror finish & oxidized patinas

design & production