I explore concepts of adornment using adaptive biological forms.
These two pieces belong to my Cephalopod series. The Cephalopod class includes the octopus, the squid, the nautilus, and other predatory mollusks.
The larger piece alludes to the grace and versatility of the octopus, inverting our preconceptions about the table as a platform for art that adorns the home. As we are arrested more by the beauty of the octopus than by its remarkable perceptual capacities, so we are impressed more by the elegantly curved legs of the tripod tray-table than by its many functions. Just as members of the genus Octopi need three hearts to survive, a table needs at least three legs to stand, but these functional requirements are eclipsed by our aesthetic response to the alluring forms.
The smaller piece alludes to the contractile tentacles of the squid, considering the gold diamond engagement ring as a symbol of captivity. As diamonds irresistibly attract our attention, so the suction cups lining the tentacles inescapably grip the squid’s prey. As lustrous gold is both soft and durable, so the muscular tentacles are both viscous and crushing
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