Break to Make

Friedman Benda announces Break to Make, a collaboration between American multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham and the Japanese design firm nendo led by Oki Sato. The culmination of a creative dialogue spanning over 4 years, the new body of work will be debuted to the public in Milan concurrent to Salone del Mobile, with a special installation at nendo Milan office via Pinamonte da Vimercate, 4 that is open from 18th – 23rd April.

Demonstrating both designers’ poetic approach, Arsham transforms each distilled form designed by nendo into works with humor and playful intricacy. “After we create objects with no intended use, Daniel creates new functions by breaking them. From a bathtub-like form, a loveseat emerged; from a long and narrow block, a bench or a stool; from a tall, square form, a console table was revealed,” ”An artist who expresses present objects as past artifacts, and a designer who makes present objects that anticipate the future. The collaboration may be seen as an overlay of these two contrary perspectives." states nendo.

As a continued investigation of his approach to creating modern “archaeological” eroded relics, Arsham deconstructs nendo’s archetypical designs. Simultaneously connecting past, present and future, the final result urges the viewer to reconsider their preconceived perception of chronology, movement, and space.