Reflections in art

James Rippon James Rippon
STUMBLE UPON, Alessandro Isola Ltd Alessandro Isola Ltd Modern living room
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Artwork speaks volumes about our personalities and our character, and is a deeply personal way to decorate our own spaces. When many of us think of decorative art, we often think only of wall hangings, be it a painting or otherwise. Of course, works of art come in all shapes and forms; from paintings, photos, prints, sculptures, and other three dimensional forms. Whether purchased, or a piece of DIY, art is a way to express ourselves in ways we may not be able to with words. And, of course, it serves both a decorative and functional purpose. Why does a mirror simply have to be a mirror? Why can it not be not be a unique and beautiful work of art, while serving as a functional element to a living space? In this ideabook, we have found some of the more unique and wonderful pieces of art on homify, in particular art that reflects light to stunning visual effect, to showcase how artwork can be a form of personal expression.

All in one

As distinctive and extraordinary as a functional piece of artwork can possibly be, this modern take on a classic floor rug speaks for itself. Titled 'Stumble Upon' this artwork from London based Alessandro Isola proves artwork is more than a splash of paint hung on a canvas in the hallway. 'Stumble upon' consists of a single sheet that employs two materials on either side that are in stark contrast to one other. The top of the rug is soft, warm and inviting, whereas the underside (can it even be called the underside?) is a cold, shiny metal surface, acting as a coffee table, gracefully beaming light around the room. The underlay of a rug is often ugly, whereas in this case, the underlay could even be called more attractive than the top. It is also multi-use, the cantilevered part doubles up as a coffee table!

London Design Festival

This image shows us a reception desk located in the iconic Victoria & Albert Museum in London, designed by Giles Miller Studio  for the London Design festival 2013, as a point of contact for the famous festival of all things design. The textured surface beautifully reflects light in varying degrees for a stunning visual effect to greet those visiting last year's festival. The existing building's facades and and colour tones, are boldly contrasted by the modern reception desk, instantly giving visitors an idea of what they may be in for when visiting the museum.

Mirror table

Another piece that includes a reflective surface as the main design feature, as well as serving a totally functional purpose, is the 'Sunrise Table' from EK Design, also from London. The designers purpose was to make the owner of the table stop, pause for a moment, and to contemplate the day ahead. The table includes a piece of leather that runs the length of the table, also wrapping around on the underside to support the mirror. From here, the mirror can easily glide along the strip, through the small opening that acts as a runner for the maneuverable mirror. The mirror can also be separated from the table to become two separate furnishings. To get a better insight into the project, click here to view it in full.

Whale? leaf?

Reminiscent of something between a whale skeleton and the veins of a leaf, the aptly titled wall hanging named 'Life' is a sculpture commissioned for Treliske Hospital in Cornwall, for their organ donation department. As you pass by the piece, light animates the ribs or veins of the skeleton, effectively bringing it to 'life'. By being situated in a hospital by the sea, where all life essentially began, this sculpture from Melanie Guy aims to bring hope to those in the ward, and to remind us of the beauty of all natural lifeforms, great or small.

Brutalist

Essentially, all reflective art pieces are a mirror of some description. This mirror, featuring in a home designed by Interiors by Rachel Usher, reminds us of the cold and bleak materials of brutalism, including glass and concrete, perfectlty paired to create a modern and functional piece. The smooth and shiny glass surface is in stark contrast to the unfinished and rough texture that frames the mirror.

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