After a well acclaimed response for his furniture collection Formations, Irish designer and craftsman Joseph Walsh is back with his latest project called Magnus Celestii. Showcased recently at the New Art Centre at Roche Court in UK, the sculptural furniture piece is the first work of this scale realized by Joseph Walsh’s studio. The title of the pieces derives from the Latin words Magnus (‘Large’ / ‘Great’) and Celesti (‘Heavenly’).
Here, Joseph is conscious of the viewers’ experience in the gallery while adhering to the creative language of collaboration between man and material. The large, free form sculpture is made from layers of ash, spiraling upwards from floor to ceiling. Emerging out of a desk form, the sculptural work expands outwards to wrap the entire one-roomed space of the Artists’ House, coming to rest with a large shelf hanging on the side wall of the gallery.
The work presents an opportunity for Joseph to address the relationship between form and function, as well as the artists’ challenge to encourage viewers to see and experience the piece from different perspectives. The Magnus large-scale work represents a significant departure for the studio and workshop, as Joseph sought to manipulate and shape the material on a vast scale. The piece is a culmination of many years work and marks out new territory the studio intends to continue exploring.
