studio swine explores an artistic harnessing of nature at A/D/O, the creative space by MINI

at A/D/O — the brooklyn-based creative space by MINI — studio swine has been delving into experimental investigations on the invisible elements that shape our environment, and the ways in which modern technology is used to give them physical form. the studio, helmed by japanese architect azusa murakami and british artist alexander groves, is the third participant in A/D/O’s designer in residence program. for the past six months, the greenpoint hub has been studio swine’s home, offering them the tools and opportunities to expand the boundaries of their practice, and in turn, inspiring a wealth of research and creative exploration. their participation in the residency has culminated in wave. particle. duplex. — an exhibition presenting two new bodies of work created exclusively for A/D/O.

‘dawn particles’ celebrates studio swine’s first foray into the use of plasma
all images courtesy of A/D/O

the exhibition wave. particle. duplex. at A/D/O draws from new york city’s shifting environmental elements, with installations that explore how technology can overcome our urban estrangement from the natural world. visitors encounter an artistic harnessing of nature uniquely crafted using modern innovations. the two new bodies of work presented — ‘dawn particles’ and ‘fog paintings’ — have been developed at A/D/O, and build upon studio swine’s long-time fascination and obsession with materiality. together, the pieces give otherwise ephemeral entities, such as light and time, physical homes within the venue.

the compositions use magnetized plasma to capture bursts of light similar to those observed in the sun

‘dawn particles’ celebrates the studio’s first foray into the use of plasma. the light-based artworks comprise a series of handblown, glass vessels containing krypton in the form of plasma — charged gas that is responsive to magnetism, and the most abundant state of matter in our universe. produced in collaboration with local workshops and artisans, the compositions use magnetized plasma to capture bursts of light similar to those observed in the sun, stars, and comets. set within a vibrant red interior setting, ‘dawn particles’ generate an energetic, fluctuating voltage that causes the plasma to wildly vary in intensity within the glass vacuum.

‘fog paintings’ are illuminated from within by light passing through a dichroic filter

in a second room, visitors find themselves immersed in a yellow-hued interior and surrounded by studio swine’s ‘fog paintings’. for this series, murakami and groves were inspired by transcendentalist landscape painters, such as turner and thomas cole, who used the illustration of nature and light to evoke the feeling of the sublime. the studio devised a pair of fog filled vitrines illuminated from within by light passing through a dichroic filter, desaturated and scattered by the hazy matter. the effect, a sequence of transcendental silhouettes, mirrors the image of the sun passing through the clouds in our atmosphere. the swirling fog and diffused light creates a shifting volume of color, in turn distorting viewers sense of weight, space and time, and metaphysically capturing the essence of natural landscapes.

swirling fog and diffused light creates shifting volumes of color

coinciding with the exhibition, studio swine debuts a documentary, produced in conjunction with A/D/O and MINI. it portrays how the residency enabled them to explore unusual curiosities once based in A/D/O’s workshop-like spaces in new york. it continues to highlight how the duo were able to investigate new possibilities by working with different artisans, define a different nature to their previous body of work, and eventually showcase this within a special exhibition. see the video at the top of the page. 

portrait of azusa murakami and alexander groves, founders of studio swine