Carpenters Workshop Gallery London Presents Nacho Carbonell: Escaping Forward
Carpenters Workshop Gallery
6 min read
Carpenters Workshop Gallery London presents Escaping Forward, a solo exhibition by acclaimed Spanish artist Nacho Carbonell. Known for his organic sculptures and iconic Cocoon series, Carbonell's works are grounded in a fascination with living organisms, often merging organic and mineral elements to create pieces that appear as though they are alive. Carbonell's latest collection marks a significant evolution, showcasing a matured creative process and innovative use of materials, incorporating new experimentation with mediums such as broken glass and ceramic and grid-like architectural forms. "This is a new beginning," says Carbonell. "I'm trying to escape forward."
NACHO CARBONELL | TABLE LAMP (261/2023), 2023
Delving into memory, texture, and materiality themes, Escaping Forward features a range of new works that reflect Carbonell's journey over the past two decades. The artist uses a collage-like approach, integrating remnants and leftover materials from previous projects in his studio to forge new, vibrant artworks. Central to the exhibition is a large-scale, four-metre, three-dimensional mural which illustrates this technique. Layering recycled materials such as metal, glass and mesh, the work evokes the tones and textures of a landscape, a motif that has been central to Carbonell's practice. The work is constantly evolving and being added to with new materials as Carbonell completes works in his studio.
A La Mesa, a sandy-colored sculptural table with a mesh bottom and a stone top, evokes nostalgia and harks back to Carbonell's own personal history, reminiscent of his childhood memories of diving and discovering fishing nets entangled in rocks. A series of wall-mounted sculptures are crafted with interactive doors that invite viewers to uncover hidden elements. These works emphasise the concept of fossilisation and the passage of time, presented as relics that hold secrets waiting to be discovered.
NACHO CARBONELL | A LA MESA (TC 12/2022), 2022
NACHO CARBONELL | BIG RAINBOW STONE TABLE LAMP (284/2024), 2024
The exhibition also features a series of highly sculptural cabinets and room dividers, another new development for the artist. Each piece is designed to interact with the viewer on a tactile level. One cabinet has a bark-like exterior concealing a smooth, intricate interior with a tree branch growing inside. Another piece, initially inspired by desert landscapes, is a topographic exploration that nods to ancient caves carved into stone, showcasing Carbonell's ability to transform initial concepts into functional works of art.
Dual Glass-Ceramic Bubble Table Lamp, a light sculpture characterised by vibrant greens and yellows, combining thick ceramics and metal pieces demonstrates Carbonell's highly experimental approach to materiality, blending opposing textures and forms to create a cohesive yet dynamic dialogue within a piece. His mastery of clay, a material not typical to his work, shows his commitment to exploring new artistic avenues and experimenting with new processes and techniques.
Throughout the show, Carbonell's fascination with living organisms prevails. His sculptures often resemble hybrid forms, merging organic and mineral elements. This duality is particularly apparent in a series of honeycomb-textured mesh sculptures, Combi Wood-Metal Bubble Table Lamp. Similar to his previous Cocoon series, where mesh and organic forms intermingle, these pieces combine wood and metal to highlight the relationship between natural and man-made materials.
A striking element evident in Carbonell's new body of work is the incorporation of architectural forms, lines and grids. Often juxtaposed with organic shapes, works such as the Table Lamps (2023) invoke the architectural designs of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, an influential figure for Carbonell's recent practice.
Carbonell's work celebrates both the triumphs and the mistakes inherent in the creative process. Each piece illustrates his belief that every moment, whether good or bad, contributes to the evolution of his art. This exhibition invites viewers to engage with his sculptures on a sensory level, exploring the layers of history, memory and material that define his artistic vision.
Nacho Carbonell states: "I've been going through changes over the years, my work is now slower and more mature. This escape forward is showing this maturity, while staying loyal to my roots and my work. I'm using every resource around me, the materials, ideas, knowledge and naiveness."
Loic Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail, founders of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, said: "We are so proud to have worked with Nacho since the early years of his career, and it has been an honor to provide a platform for his work. With this exhibition, we invite visitors to experience the results of years of collaboration, unveiling a new chapter in the artist's work and demonstrating how he is constantly experimenting and evolving as an artist, exploring new themes, techniques, and materials whilst staying true to his core foundations."
ABOUT CARPENTERS WORKSHOP GALLERY
Specialising in Functional Art and Collectible Design, Carpenters Workshop Gallery focuses on producing and exhibiting the work of international artists, designers, and architects, who look to push the boundaries of what is traditionally presented within the confines of the gallery and art fair space. Carpenters Workshop Gallery is founded on the partnership of childhood friends, Julien Lombrail and Loic Le Gaillard, who first opened the gallery in a former carpenter's workshop in London's Mayfair. Since then, Carpenters Workshop Gallery has proven its deserved place as a leading pioneer in the world of high art and design, expanding to operate four galleries worldwide, situated in key locations of London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles. Actively involved in the research, conservation and production of limited edition works, the gallery's choices are guided by seeking an emotional, artistic, and historical relevance and breaking boundaries between art and design. This ethos is exemplified by the founding of The Workshop complex in Mitry-Mory, on the outskirts of Paris - a unique 8,000 square meters space dedicated to artistic research, bringing together the elite of practitioners and artisans. Within this creative hub, Carpenters Workshop Gallery artists and leading artisans work collaboratively to produce pieces with a hand-finished touch. The gallery's next exciting chapter is the recent opening of Carpenters Workshop Gallery's new London space, within the expansive Notting Hill arts hub, Ladbroke Hall. This new destination, dedicated to presenting ambitious programming across all forms of creative expression, confirms the leadership role of Carpenters Workshop Gallery in today's international territory of art and design and their intersectionality.
PRESS CONTACT
www.carpentersworkshopgallery.com CARLOTTA LA TOUR | CARLOTTA@SUTTONCOMMS.COM LONDON LADBROKE HALL | 79 BARLBY ROAD | W10 6AZ PARIS 54 RUE DE LA VERRERIE | 75004 NEW YORK 693 FIFTH AVENUE | NY 10022 LOS ANGELES 7000 ROMAINE ST | CA 90038
