A Twisted World Apart
Henry Baumann’s “2” project is an installation that retains the characteristics of its original material but is given a new shape and purpose
Team AI
‘My idea was to create a space to rest and read. Where you feel cosy. And to combine a sitting object with a lamp,’ said Henry Baumann over an email interview, adding a smiley to the end of that sentence.
And a smiley is what sits on your face when you see his quirky creation, a unit that somehow feels like a safe space from all the noise around. Even in these times of quarantine, when you are looking for that ‘alone’ time (yes, it’s a thing).
Reminiscent of a rather long wooden ear piece or a croissant, the work is quite something to look at as it looms larger-than-life and yet remains soft and inviting enough to allow the viewer/audience to interact with it. Developed from the waste of construction sites – in this case, industrial wooden drums – the material is heavy but sturdy. The colour of the wood and the softness of texture, combined with the ease of use and the flow of air within the structure is beautiful. ‘The shape developed through the base material, the round wooden plates from cable drums. My goal was to give value and recognition to the material by keeping its basic character. So, I came up with the spiral cut. Through this, the most beautiful part from the piece of wood, the layers of the material, became the most visible,’ said Baumann.
Spiral cut for 2”
Initially starting with 130 strawberry boxes as a part of his bachelor’s degree project, Henry enjoyed the idea of using waste materials to build his artworks and projects. ‘Through research and trial and error of finding uncovered beauty and possibilities, I became absolutely fascinated by this process, because it is nothing which you make up in your mind. It develops through doing, each day; to find beauty where it is not visible by retaining the original character of the base material,’ he added.
Sanding for 2”
This isn’t the first time Baumann is experimenting with this format. Before “2” there was “1”. However, in comparison, we can already see a gradual progression, as the drums don’t just remain horn shaped with one end widened out, but incorporate two large openings, tapering and twisting towards the middle.
The organic shape of the structure is almost surreal, as it twists and winds its way around, giving you that much-needed sense of open-ended isolation – and today, this is also a thing.
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