Kostas Lambridis: Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion

Athens based artist and designer Kostas Lambridis presents a selection of nine new sculptural pieces in an engaging exhibition at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, New York. A master of the mash-up, Lambridis has woven in elements of art history – from Baroque to Arts and Crafts, as well as materials – from metal to stained glass into his often large-scale sculptural furniture. In this new series, he continues his mastery of fusing different elements to create a whole, but here he focuses on one material at a time: wood, metal, mineral, and plastic.

The title of the exhibition, “Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion”, refers to the idea of slowing down and seeing the beauty in the details rather than just the big fiery explosion. This idea was central to Lambridis process when creating his new series of work, wanting to take the time to explore materials in a more intimate way and see what they are capable of becoming. As he says, “There is a structure in the way I work that has become more of a limitation, than an open door. With the excuse of this new show, I wanted to face the void. When you look at my previous work, there is a certain level of complexity. I realized if you focus on one material, like wood, eventually you realize there is the same level of complexity within that material.”

Lambridis’s process is very slow and meticulous. Each element is crafted by hand with exceptionally intricate details. The final sculptures seem otherworldly, as if animated creatures from an alternate reality. fused before charred, a large wooden table, reflects themes of metamorphosis and materiality as well as exceptional craftsmanship, using over fifteen different types of wood including American walnut, Greek walnut, niagone, iroko, Greek olive, mahogany and many more. Yet each piece has its role in the greater whole and manages to come together seamlessly using various types of woodworking techniques such as marquetry and inlay.

The piece, all you need now is some oxygen, dives deep into the earth’s minerals. A nature-inspired piece made using glass, ceramic, concrete and marble, the piece feels at once archaeologic and futuristic, if not an ode to our natural resources.

The installation features a series of unframed photographs are hung across the walls. Showing various scenes from production in and around the studio, they are like a personal diary around process and add a new layer of connection between artist and object that takes viewers further into Lambridis’s universe.

“Reverse Fireworks in Slow Motion” is on view at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, New York, through November 23, 2023.

All photos by Matt Harrington

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