Paul Cocksedge Plays with Light and Weight in “Capture”

Paul Cocksedge’s exhibition “Capture,” currently on view at the Friedman Benda Gallery, juxtaposes light and darkness, weight and thinness, motion and stability.

The exhibition is composed of three major sections. The viewer is invited to reflect upon our perception of light and the nature of its physicality in Dome Light and White Light, before discovering that the seemingly unstable Poised is perfectly balanced. The exhibition concludes with scale models of proposed public infrastructures inspired by Dome Light and White Light.

Acrylic and LED’s

With Dome Light, Cocksedge strips light down to its purest form. The areas of light and shadow cast by the lamps leave a deep impression. Viewers try to figure out where the light is coming from and how the light occupies space.

White Light consists of a constantly changing ceiling that fades from bright colors to white. Under the evolving ceiling, everything and nothing changes at the same time: the walls of the room remain white, and the atmosphere remains unchanged. In this room, Cocksedge plays with how the naked eye perceives the interplay of color and light.

20.63 x 39.37 x 7.87 inches

Poised is a series of half-ton tables entirely made of steel. Despite their material, they look like delicately curved sheets of paper. The designer’s technological ingenuity and mastery is really showcased here: the heavy tables look like they could topple over, yet nothing moves. The equilibrium and mass of the steel was carefully studied by the Cocksedge to create an incredibly refined piece of design.

“Capture” is now on view at the Friedman Benda Gallery in New York until October 12.