“Unbroken” exhibition by Slash Objects founder Arielle Assouline-Lichten

“In Unbroken, I transform fractured marble and onyx into furniture and lighting that play on the dichotomy between chaos and order. Using found pieces of stone slabs, I have devised a system that adapts to irregularity, enabling each piece to be a product of its own constraints. In refusing to erase broken edges, the work maintains a trace of its past, and reminds the viewer that materials transcend time and experiences. Unbroken showcases the beauty of imperfection and highlights the importance of longevity in a world where everything is treated as disposable.”

– Arielle Assouline-Licthen, Founder Slash Objects

Arielle Assouline-Lichten is an artist and multidisciplinary designer interested in ideas of materiality, ephemerality, and the pursuit of form. She is the founder of Slash Objects, a design studio that elevates overlooked source materials to create minimalist designs which expose the tension between the natural world and man made processes. Arielle holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Critical Theory and Visual Media from New York University. She is passionate about design as a way to transform the human experience of the world.

Arielle Assouline-Lichten founded Slash Objects in 2016 as a design studio to explore the intersection of material and form. She is passionate about design as a way to transform the human experience of the world. Her work aims to reframe our understanding of the resources around through tactile stories that create a sense of intrigue into our material world. Each piece calls into question the production of goods through a minimalist approach that exposes the tension between the natural world and man made processes.

Arielle’s work aims to create social change through aesthetics, highlighting the excess of material consumption and the overproduction of waste in our world. Elevating overlooked source materials such as waste marble or discarded tire rubber, her studio Slash Objects creates pieces that not only question the widespread notion of expendable commodities in design and the excess of waste in the production of goods, but also encourage the owner to become a custodian of the piece, where longevity replaces disposability.

Her design process balances optimizing the production process to minimize waste and reduce the carbon footprint emitted during production and transportation, with the aesthetics and sustainability of the piece. We aim to make objects that can be disassembled, repaired and restored if needed, so that generations can enjoy them over time. We use materials that are long lasting and age with grace.

In 2021, Arielle was a finalist on the HBO Max show “Ellen’s Next Great Designer” where she designed 9 new unique pieces and was in the top tier each week. Her work has been featured around the world. Arielle was commissioned by the Thompson Hotels to design a custom installation for the Thompson Hollywood. The installation creates a sense of intrigue into the material nature of our built world, drawing people in to see beyond their reflection in the mirror itself.

Slash Objects was awarded the American Design Hotlist in 2016 (its inaugural year), Best of NYC X Design in 2018, and received the American Design Honors in 2019. In 2014, Arielle was appointed as Principal of Office US at the Venice Biennale, where she was part of the curatorial team for the US Pavilion. She has been published in Metropolis Magazine, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Architectural Record, Architectural Digest, amongst others, for her design work and activism.

In 2013, Arielle started the petition for retroactive recognition of Denise Scott Brown by the Pritzker Prize, and together with Caroline James as Women in Design at Harvard, led a campaign that has received over 20,000 signatures in support, including 9 past laureates. She has been invited to lecture at the Guggenheim Museum, as well as Columbia University GSAPP, and Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Arielle holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard University with commendation, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Critical Theory and Visual Media from New York University. She has worked for internationally renowned firms such as BIG, Kengo Kuma & Associates, and Snøhetta, from Copenhagen to Paris, Tokyo and New York. While at Harvard, Arielle was selected to study under Toyo Ito in Japan.

“Unbroken: A Beautiful Edge” Exhibition
16 Crosby Street, NYC
Until May 27th, 11-6pm