Sculpted Bench in Black from Oak Wood by Desia Ava

What looks as a solid pile of 6 wooden planks on top of each other is in fact only 1 solid wooden plank (the top one) and just the outlines of the other 5 planks so that the interior of the bench is in fact empty. This construction technique has been used to save material which results in a more sustainable and a less heavy object.
The bench has been further carved and sculpted with a wood grinder tool, the top has been polished and as final step I have applied 3 even layers of black matte stain.

The inspiration behind this work is connected to the aesthetics of the Japanese movement Mono-ha. I wanted to create a sculpted bench that would look minimalist and crafted at the same time and be composed of the same repeating element. The shape was inspired by piles of wooden planks that I often see stacked together in industrial context. I employed traditional wood carving techniques in a modern way and used the colour black to define the piece and give more depths to the shadows created by the sculpted shapes.

About the artist:
Desia • Ava (b.1991) is a Bulgarian-born visual artist based in Stockholm. Desia works with diverse artistic mediums-sculpture, installation, digital art, collectible design. Her material palette includes raw materials (wood, metal, stone), invisible and unsolid materials (water, sound, mist, scent), edibles (sugar, jelly, salt). Desia’s artistic research is focused on creating sensory, meditative and mindful experiences. Her work explores the element of scale, of the micro worlds and the way they are connected to the universal.