Tessa and Tara Sakhi: I Hear You Tremble

The multidisciplinary architecture and design studio T Sakhi present a series of fifteen new sculptural vases made with metal waste and Murano glass. Unveiled at the Italian Glass Week in Venice in late September, the vessels are the result of three-years of research and experimentation in using waste metal from factories around the island of Murano.

The fifteen unique vessels titled Jurat (meaning urns in Arabic) were installed in the San Gallo Church in Venice, an intimate 16th century church near San Marco, in an exhibition titled “I Hear You Tremble.” Entering into the dimly lit church the installation of vases on pedestals and on the ground, some nestled into sand on the floor, evoked a sense of uncovering a lost treasure from centuries past. The vessels seem ancient, mysterious in their opaque surfaces that filter the light. Their “lava stone-like” textures that call to mind traditional Phoenician glass blowing techniques, a source of inspiration for the designers, along with other ancient forms of glass making found across the Mediterranean. Heightening the mood, the exhibition incorporates a light installation inspired by light infiltration, water vibrations and reflections of the Venetian lagoon, creating a sensory shift between light and shadow. While the vessels embrace their ancient heritage, the technique and details of each piece are thinking of the future, offering an exciting approach to glass making that involves recycled materials and innovative ideas.

Craftsmanship has always been an essential component to the designer’s practice. Whether glass in Venice, metal and wood in Lebanon, textiles in Mexico or stone in Egypt, they tap into the rich cultural heritages of these people and places to create beautiful yet deeply meaningful objects and spaces.

The designers are also known for their focus on sustainability through recuperating waste and working with recycled materials. For Jurat, they infused the glass with various types of metal waste including brass, copper and aluminum to create the otherworld surface patterns. “We want to provoke curiosity and stimulate the sense of touch and emotion through our work. We often experiment with raw materials and seek to decompose them by testing their strength and limits. This process makes our designs evolve spontaneously during execution, embracing surprises and accidents along the way. The techniques aspire a creation associated with chaos and form, randomness and precision, spirit and matter and finally, natural vs man-made interventions.,” say Tessa and Tara Sakhi.

The exhibition is organized in partnership with Le Lab, a new collectible design gallery founded by Egyptian Art and Design collector Rasheed Al Kamel dedicated to promoting the most prominent regional Middle Eastern artists and designers.

“I Hear You Tremble”, is on view through October 14, 2022. Jurat will also be exhibited in Le Lab’s group presentation at Salon Art + Design in New York, November 10 to 14 2022.