House — Divided Mass

House reduces the archetype of a dwelling to its simplest possible form: a rectangular block crowned with a pitched roof. The mass has been cut along the ridge and shifted slightly, opening a narrow fissure that runs the full length of the object — a fracture that introduces tension into an otherwise entirely calm form. A small rectangular doorway is cut into the gable end, the only way into an interior you never see. The surface is matte graphite-black with a fine stone-like grain and faint lighter abrasions along the edges, which keep the volume deep rather than letting it read as a flat silhouette.

Every piece is handmade — cut, shaped and finished entirely by hand, outside of serial production. The distribution of the texture, the depth of the black and small variations in the width of the fissure follow naturally from hand-working and make each House unique. The sculpture works well on a desk, a console, a bookshelf or a mantelpiece — on its own, or grouped with several others to form a miniature settlement. It reads best against a pale background in side light that draws out the shadow in the fissure. A dry cloth or a soft brush is all the care it needs.