Kostas Lambridis’s eclectic works create 'Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion'

Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion at Carpenters Workshop Gallery New York, is Greek artist and designer Kostas Lambridis's debut solo exhibition in the United States. The exhibition is set to be on view from September 8 - November 23, 2023, and marks a major departure from Lambridis's customary and purposeful blending of fragmented materials as a mosaic within his works. Moving away from the familiar and secure, the artist's journey takes its natural progression towards exploration, as he exploits the full potential of each material medium.

"There's a structure in my work that has become more constriction than a gateway. With the pretext of this new exhibition, I aimed to confront this void. Looking at my previous work, there's a certain level of intricacy. However, if you concentrate on one material, like wood, you eventually realise it holds an equivalent level of complexity," shares the designer based in Athens, Greece. 'Delving into the essence of Earth’s elements,' the works partaking in the show embrace a mono-material approach centred on metal, wood, mineral, and plastic, manifesting within nine innovative handmade pieces.

Lambridis places each element on an equal footing, accentuating their significance and achieving harmony among them through his masterful craftsmanship. His methodical and intuitive approach takes time but results in a spectacular experience akin to 'capturing the spectacle of fireworks in reverse slow motion. From this new perspective emerges the act of reverse observation, challenging the conventional notion of fireworks as ephemeral bursts devoid of enduring impact, and instead inviting contemplation.' Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion thus moves beyond the spectacles as momentary, forgettable displays, and reimagines them as profound artistic expressions, intricately intertwining materials and boundless creativity.

The artist playfully counters the common perception of the artistic realm where works are labelled as 'fireworks'— hasty creations that only illicit immediate gratification. This reversed perspective encourages fleeting observers to pause and meditate on the intricate mechanics and underlying depth of the transient sparkles. The design exhibition features pieces that resemble coffee tables and small chair designs completely reimagined with the collage-like arrangement of various vibrant textures—demanding attention.

In 2021, Lambridis demonstrated his creative brilliance through his inaugural solo exhibition titled Elemental Folds at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris, France. The exhibition space staged his adept fusion of diverse, fragmented materials, including shattered marble, broken glass, tiles, bamboo, rattan, wood, and plastic within passionately crafted designs. However, he expresses how his past work was more 'horizontal' while his latest one is 'vertical'—"In the past, I observed the landscape, but now I am excavating and immersing myself in each material," he relays. Building upon his foundation, the artist and designer now embarks on a focused journey with Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion, where he dismantles material amalgamations and meticulously examines each element in his compositional designs while celebrating the unique properties of every constituent element in tandem.

The exhibition Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion is set to explore Lambridis’s creative processes through sketches, notes, photographs, found objects, and raw materials, resulting in his reticent sculptural designs.

Kostas Lambridis's ‘Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion’ will be on display from September 8 - November 23, 2023, at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, New York.

(Text by Aatmi Chitalia, Intern at STIR)