Crushed Green Onyx Dining Table

Ben Storms’ recently developed method, which extends his already acclaimed In Hale series, starts with a freehand assembled steel base. An air-filled volume composed of metal sheets whose final shape is achieved by subjecting the structure to pressure and weight.

The result is an idiosyncratic, sculptural entity that makes the applied force palpable, yet pauses and thus withdraws from it. A muted echo, a moment in time that lingers. The surface of the steel has been sanded by hand, in horizontal, controlled gestures, so that a confident commitment contrasts with the seemingly uncontrollable impact of the applied force.