fernando mastrangelo's 'thaw' + 'ghost' series relay the raw beauty of natural material

during NYCxDESIGN 2017, fernando mastrangelo introduces two series at collective design fair that continue his exploration of materials and making processes. ‘ghost’ and ‘thaw’ — although diverse in technique — are united by a visual language that seeks to emphasize the power and raw beauty of natural materials.

the pair of projects comes hot on the heels of mastrangelo’s debut of the series ‘escape’ during milan design week. the body of work was defined by an experimental use of unconventional materials, blending dreamy, pastel tones and textures across simple, sculptural forms.

‘thaw’ console
image © voiid studio 

mastrangelo’s ‘thaw’ series is crafted from crushed and powdered glass in combination with cement. following a trip to the mountainous south american region of patagonia, the brooklyn-based designer became fascinated by objects that could capture nature’s raw perfection. ‘thaw’ encapsulates the tones and textures of glaciers, with several pieces hand-carved in the spirit of rough, weather-hewn forms. a coffee table and sconce are cast layer-by-layer in molds, while a console and a mirror combine geometric forms and smooth surfaces with glass aggregate, revealing a natural alchemy of materials.

‘thaw’ console (back view) 
image © voiid studio

‘thaw’ coffee table
image © voiid studio

‘thaw’ mirror
image © voiid studio

‘thaw’ sconce 
image © voiid studio

‘thaw’ utilizes crushed and powdered glass in combination with cement
image © voiid studio

alternatively, the ‘ghost’ collection emphasizes precision and restraint through geometric pieces cast entirely in cement. after more than 10 years of experimentation casting unusual materials, mastrangelo developed a new technique. for this series, he worked with a robotic arm to make a dining table, a coffee table, and a console. large-scale, heavy, and perfectly smooth, the pieces emulate the gravity of nature with the softness of carved cement.

‘ghost’ and ‘thaw’ are on view at collective design fair from now through may 7, 2017 as part of NYCxDESIGN. 

‘ghost’ comprises geometric pieces cast entirely in cement
image © voiid studio

‘ghost’ dining table
image © cary whittier

‘ghost’ dining table (detail) 
image © cary whittier

‘ghost’ coffee table
image © voiid studio

‘ghost’ console 
image © voiid studio

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