David Gill Gallery on 'Rebuilding Reason' with atemporal works by Sebastian Errazuriz

Visionary US-based designer Sebastian Errazuriz seamlessly blends the human figure into 'atemporal' furniture designs through a process of both appropriation and deconstruction. His latest solo exhibition, Rebuilding Reason, at the David Gill Gallery in St James', London, UK, showcases fresh pieces that are both utilitarian and deeply artistic. Running from October 4 - 28, 2024, the show reflects Errazuriz's ongoing exploration of design, featuring a collection of inspiring new works that transcend specific time and place. Drawing inspiration from classical antiquity, these creations are crafted using cutting-edge technology and AI.

For the Chilean-born, New York-based artist and product designer, sculptures from ancient history serve as captivating figurative supports for his functional contemporary designs. This showcased collection features shelving, lamps, mirrors and an array of table designs, all crafted from intricately carved bas-relief friezes discovered at archaeological sites. Classical antiquity becomes the source material for dramatic panels that adorn consoles and cabinets, heads that transform into tables, mirrors and shelves, as well as curated artefacts that enhance the tablescape.

With a career spanning over three decades, Errazuriz bridges the gap between art and design, creating functional objects that invite touch and use while also conveying strong artistic narratives and intellectual themes. Deeply engaged with the motivations behind what and why we collect, his interpretation of antiquity offers a humorous critique of the Grand Tour era, when a young gentleman's journey to Europe was incomplete without acquiring classical souvenirs—often of questionable authenticity.

Humour also serves as a central element to the furniture designer's work, evident in this latest collection. A bust—perhaps a reinterpretation of Canova's Venus Italica or François Joseph Bosio's Napoleon I—serves as the base for the Narcissus mirror, destined to gaze at its reflection eternally. Meanwhile, a Jesmonite coffee table showcases a curated selection of classical artefacts, including a Rhodian vessel, a head of Aphrodite and an Etruscan amphora.

Errazuriz expertly navigates the intersection of finely crafted materials and digital technology, scanning existing artworks in 3D and reimagining them. Utilising materials such as marble, which has served as architecture's most enduring stone for millennia, he transforms it into smaller-scale functional art. By digitally modifying and repurposing monumental forms, Errazuriz creates the building blocks for his domestic product designs. Candle holders and lamp designs inspired by iconic headless statues, such as the renowned Greek goddess Hebe, are cast in bronze, infusing new life into these ancient yet instantly recognisable shapes, for Rebuilding Reason.

Drawing inspiration from the incomplete beauty of iconic classical sculptures such as the Nike of Samothrace, Errazuriz finds unique pleasure in envisioning their completion. His choice of materials—marble, bronze, wood and jesmonite—harmonises a historic visual language with cutting-edge technology. By employing robots, 3D scanners, AI and augmented reality headsets, he creates works that bridge the past and present.

"If you're just working on screen, it's easy to not get the proportions right. This way I can walk right around it and see it from every angle," Errazuriz explains. "I like things to be universal, I also like my work to be atemporal – it could have been made in the 1930s or now," he adds.

"The designer strongly believes that in an increasingly digital world, the objects we choose to keep will take on ever more meaning and that collectible design will have a bigger role to play in our lives than ever before," states the art gallery.