Light, reflections, color accents, and, of course, transparency: Draga & Aurel’s groundbreaking experimentation on Lucite continues with increasingly sophisticated and surprising results.
Draga & Aurel (aka Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow) for the third year running, in partnership with Todd Merrill Studio, they’ll be presenting the results of another year of experimentation with materials, in search of original light and color influences.
Their new proposal, consisting of a family of lamps, a dining table, and a sideboard. Once again, their material of choice is Lucite, an acrylic resin that Draga & Aurel mold, assemble, gloss, and sculpt by hand, with the support of a team of Italian craft masters from Lake Como.
Draga & Aurel create furniture in which the line between art and design becomes increasingly thin: functional objects that don’t just enrich space with their aesthetic but also explore the complex relationship between light, color, and form, encouraging the observer to interact from various perspectives, just as they would when faced with a work of art.
The Ribbon lamps, the Flare table, and the Flare sideboard are produced exclusively for Todd Merrill Studio, a contemporary art and design gallery located in New York City (80 Lafayette Street).
Ribbon Pendant Lamp Draga & Aurel
The Ribbon lamp is a curvy ribbon of acrylic resin draping over an LED-lit capsule. The geometric precision of the semicircular arch is mitigated by the skillful crafting of the material, where the graceful curve captures and reflects light, creating a very dynamic visual effect.
The color appears to flow in the purity of the transparency. The opaline inserts are seamless, emphasizing the object’s ethereal essence, while the sharp “neon” colors appear suspended in space, dictating the rhythm of the composition. Arising from the interaction between light and material is an immersive visual experience amplified by the overlapping of the two parallel surfaces, which transform perceptions depending on the angle of view.
Flare Dining Table Draga & Aurel
The Flare dining table, made entirely from Lucite, recaptures the distinctive characteristics of the coffee table series of the same name, expanding its scale and visual impact. Sculptural and totemic, this object defies visual gravity with its irregular, essential geometry, subtle shading, and piercing colors that appear to float in the transparent material.
The table top captures light, producing a beguiling play on light and color. Inspired by the three- dimensional exploration of color by the artist Jiyong Lee and by the acrylic sculptures of Vasa Mihich, the design is based on a skillful use of refraction, achieved by combining sheets of colored Lucite of various shapes and thicknesses. With this unique object, Draga & Aurel wish to highlight the intrinsic characteristics of acrylic resin, its potential in the crafting process, and its ability to regulate, capture, and refract light.
Flare Sideboard Draga & Aurel
The Flare sideboard brings to light the exceptional artisanal and compositional mastery of Draga & Aurel: the rounded frame made of reflective metal acts as a counterpoint to the transparent doors, resulting from the joining of acrylic resin sheets in different shapes and thicknesses. These form a hypnotic color spectrum, producing a harmonious and cohesive artwork. Light moves through the reflective surface, crafted with various transparency gradients and rhythmic “neon” accents.
Supported by metal and completely transparent and colorless Lucite legs, the sideboard appears to be extremely lightweight and almost suspended in space. Flare is a vibrant dance of primordial hues and geometry that enhances the patterns and colors “trapped” inside the resin, changing one’s perception of the surrounding space through its boldness.
Draga & Aurel
Established in 2007 by Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow, Draga & Aurel is a multidisciplinary studio and workshop for art, collectible design, and furnishing items. Armed with a diversified background in art, fashion, and craftsmanship, Draga & Aurel are widely known for combining original methods with an artistic approach to materials and composition.
Pioneers in upcycling in the design sector, they began their journey by reinventing vintage furniture and objects in their own style and shaping the first Deshabillé and Heritage collections. Their 2009 debut at Milan Design Week marked the beginning of significant partnerships with furniture companies, firstly Baxter and Wall&Deco, followed by new ones throughout the years, including Visionnaire and Gallotti&Radice, and more recently Poltrona Frau and Giorgetti.
In 2019, the couple staggered the crowds at Milan Design Week with a new personal project: the Transparency Matters collection, which explores the use and the possibilities of transparency, always related to lights and colors phenomena. From its launch, the studio has continued to develop the collection, gaining more popularity.
Between art and design, Transparency Matters collectible design pieces find the perfect display in the most prestigious galleries, such as Rossana Orlandi Gallery, Nilufar Gallery and Todd Merrill Studio. Moreover, they often participate in art and design fairs. Their design production stands alongside the artistic output of Aurel K. Basedow, comprising powerful, evocative, and poetic works. At Draga & Aurel, art and design follow two parallel and complementary paths, in a continuous exchange that strengthens and sometimes inverts their meanings.