Jøna Maaryn's practice is deeply rooted in the vibrant desert communities of the American Southwest, marked by a pivotal period residing at Arcosanti, Arizona. Drawing inspiration from the ethereal architecture and the fusion of Japanese brutalism and futuristic elements prevalent within the Arcosanti environment, her work embodies the delicate interplay of strength and fragility found in the desert landscape. She echoes the dark, porous volcanic rock through rough raw concrete textures and shapes evocative of bones—objects she has collected throughout her life in West Texas.

In this collection, Jøna explores the depths of human experience, grappling with the legacies of past visionaries she has studied and the shadows they cast. Her spinal-inspired chair, Paloma Negra, stands as a self-portrait, reminiscent of a dove emerging from a shadow, while the sturdy house-shaped Embre chair symbolizes control over hearts and homes, drawing from her experiences within the desert community of Arcosanti. This body of work serves as a testament to the acceptance of our own darkness, urging us to navigate the complexities of our inner landscapes and discover beauty amidst the depths of our existence.

@jonamaaryn

Michelle Jiaxin Huang's practice investigates the disengagement experienced in contemporary society, catalyzed by an overabundance of impersonal objects. Through her work, she seeks to reignite curiosity and interaction within built environments, questioning how objects shape our experiences. In her latest series, she embarks on a speculative expedition, focusing on mapping an alternative existence through three phases: birth, transport, and communication.

The chair titled "Eternal Recurrence - Landing" symbolizes birth, serving as the genesis of the expedition. Subsequently, Rover emerges as a manifestation of transport, drawing inspiration from industry and space exploration. The final piece, Telegraph, embodies communication. Abstracted from the visual language of transmission technology, the telegraph seeks to receive, process, and convey messages. Her choice of mild steel reflects both historical significance and ideas of technological progress, anchoring her expedition within the continuum of past and future, where the present unfolds as a synthesis of the two.

Through a magical transformative process of shaping a very hard, heavy material into almost weightless forms, Michelle invites viewers to embark on a journey of discovery, challenging conventional perspectives, and reimagining our relationship with the built environment.

@michjxh