Design Ex Melbourne 2009

This week Lump Sculpture Studio unveil their latest offerings at Design Ex 2009. The duo will present a new Outdoor Feature Display showcasing their trademark Lump Light Feature Panels, glowing with a beautiful botanically inspired Jade Tree design featured on two different sized panels. Visitors will also see the delicate free standing Leaf Skeleton sculpture and the brand new free standing Tall Pod Corten steel sculpture all of which will be publicly released for the first time at the show.

As the original designers and creators of the Light Feature Panel, Timothea and Chris pride themselves on the many beautiful botanical images they have developed for Light Features Panels by Lump Sculpture Studio. The Jade Tree is a stunning addition to the portfolio, and showcases Chris and Tim’s flair for working at the forefront of original concepts and design.

The Leaf Skeleton sculpture is designed with precise botanical replication and handcrafted meticulously from Corten steel with a high gloss finish. This impressive sculpture quite literally grew out of the desire to capture the essence of an object as unique and beautiful as a single gum leaf, and to re-imagine it on a grand scale. Jewell says ‘All of our Lump designs seem to have a botanical link, but this one in particular is much more literal as it was designed from a sketch of a real leaf’.

For several years Timothea Jewell and Chris Vassallo who together head up Lump, have created works for, and about, the Australian climate. The Leaf Skeleton sculpture signifies a shift towards work that explores the internal workings of plants. This sculpture, with its delicate framework laid bare, aims to give voice to the pairs concerns about the fragility of our environment. What strikes audiences at exhibitions and events is the amazing juxtaposition between something as hard and unyielding as steel, and the way it can be used to capture the essence of something as ephemeral as a single leaf.

Chris and Tim offer an insight into their latest collaboration: ‘A skeleton is really the essence, the essential part of something. We love the idea that one small leaf is important because of its part in the much larger ecological picture. For us the Leaf Skeleton sculpture attempts to elevate something as seemingly prosaic as a leaf, and present it to people in a new way.’ The Tall Pod, Chris Vassallo’s latest free-standing Corten steel sculpture is an innovation in the crafting of delicate internal framework. While reminiscent of the popular Sphere, Fire and Eggular sculptures, Tall Pod evokes thoughts of paper lanterns, ancient fishing traps and acacia seed pods. Vassallo says ‘I am thrilled that my work conjures up so many different images and ideas. It’s exciting to see something new every time you look at the piece.’