A Body of Luminous Work: Zaha Hadid
"Ordinarily I’m more drawn to furniture made of wood, but Zaha Hadid uses wood as well as so many other materials in wonderful ways"Recently I posted a few images of Zaha Hadid’s work on Instagram (@anissakaps), and was asked to do something a little longer as a blog.
First, a disclaimer. I’m neither an architectural critic nor a design critic. Simply put, I really like furniture! And I am blown away by Hadid’s work, vision, accomplishments, drive, and aesthetic.
Ordinarily I’m more drawn to furniture made of wood, but Hadid uses wood as well as so many other materials in wonderful ways. She manipulates materials and finishes to play with reflection, light, and shadows, always choosing the right material for the design. Her work is organic, sleek, contemporary, and cutting edge. Form is foremost, and it’s simple and wildly exotic and complex at the same time. And uniquely hers.
The following images are just a few of her pieces from www.davidgillgallery.com
The Liquid Glacial Series
The work in the Liquid Glacial series is made of clear and colored acrylic. Her furniture, like her architecture, appears light, ethereal, flowing even. This particular series plays with reflection and shadows in a way wood can never imitate.
The UltraStellar series
This series manages to transform wood into liquid— pure alchemy.
The Dune series
The Dune series mimics the windswept formations of the desert or beach in a futuristic yet still natural way.
If you want more on Hadid, here is a BBC documentary and a few articles (below), including an obituary in the New York Times, about Zaha Hadid. Take a look at them. They’ll give you a well-rounded sense of the dame behind the work.
- The Guardian – Zaha Hadid: queen of the curve
- The New York Times: Zaha Hadid, Groundbreaking Architect, Dies at 65
- The New Yorker: The Abstractionist – Zaha Hadid’s unfettered invention
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Compass
Blackwing Pencils
Comments
Thanks for posting this Anissa. I've never heard of Zaha before and find her work inspiring and innovative. It's a great change of pace. It may spark an idea or get you out of your comfort zone.
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