Brodie Neill's @ Chair and Torso tables

LONDON – Sotheby’s, a multinational corporation that brokers fine decorative art, jewelry and collectables, has launched a new curated selling exhibition of work by Brodie Neill, featuring nine new sustainable furniture pieces. The Material Consciousness exhibition showcases Neill’s desire to reshape resources into a range of collectable design pieces that focus on three specific fields of material research: ocean plastic, reclaimed timbers and circular metals.

The London-based Australian designer presents this new collection of work as part of Sotheby’s ongoing Design series and is set to be on show at the auction house’s New Bond Street location and online from May 6-9.

 “Material Consciousness represents the convergence of over a decade of design research into material circularity and the redefining of waste. It’s an honor to have Sotheby’s select my work not only for its aesthetic merit but for the environmental issues it addresses,” said Neill.

Ocean terrazzo is a material produced by fragments of ocean-plastic waste. Neill collaborated with an international network of scientists, researchers, environmental experts, engineers, artisans and manufacturers to produce the terrazzo-like composite that is compiled of reconstituted small fragments of plastic washed-up on the shores around the globe.

Jetsam and Gyro Second Wave

Three new limited-edition pieces were crafted using ocean terrazzo including: Gyro Second Wave, a contemporary rendition of a 19th century tabletop that substitutes traditional marble, timber and ivory with ocean terrazzo; Jetsam, a triangular dining table that makes use of thousands of microplastic fragments left over from the Gyro table creation and features a strong mix of greens, yellows and reds backed by a forest green; and Flotsam, a low elliptical table that consists of black backed ocean terrazzo.

Neill’s practice often utilizes reclaimed timbers in the pursuit of reusing what is already in circulation by sourcing salvaged materials from demolitions. Mahogany and panga panga have been refurbished into the building block of Neill’s latest timber creations.

Torso is a series of three size tables with biomorphic silhouettes carved from a stack of laminated, reclaimed panga panga parquet. Using reclaimed Rhodesian mahogany, the Longitude Bench is formed using a cross thatched technique developed by Neill that is lightweight yet rigid. The third piece in using reclaimed timbers is the Altitude Chair, which pins each coordinate of rich toned wood with brass rivets.

Highlighted as two of the most recyclable metals in circulation, Neill melds stainless steel and bronze into singular sculptural forms for the exhibition. Encompassing form and function, these materials are shaped into loops and voids.

The Atmos Desk, @ Chair and Atmos Console

The Atmos Desk and Atmos Console are formed from a single surface of recyclable metal. The desk is finished in a two-toned technique of a mirror-polished void and satin metallic exterior. The console celebrates the duality of bronze finishing in a slender console table reflecting its warmer inner tones through the central void contrasting with the smooth satin exterior.

Material Consciousness will also feature Neill’s @ Chair design, produced in mirror-polished stainless steel. Encompassing the entire configuration of a chair within a single gesture, the @ Chair was included in Time Magazine’s Design 100 in 2008.

Erica Crawford, associate editor for Furniture Today, is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa, with a degree in English and a writing certificate in publishing. In addition to bringing her writing talent to the editorial team, Erica will add her late-Millennial perspective.

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