Daniel Little, Roscuro Cradenza (CHESTS, CABINETS & BOXES 2024)

Photos:

Daniel Mulheran

“Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty’ Juniichiro Tanizaki. Roscuro's name is inspired by the term chiaroscuro, a term for bold contrasts between light and shadow. The design concept explores the duality of light and dark and the harmony within the interplay of opposites. This concept is first expressed through the ebonized exterior, which contrasts sharply with the light silver ash interior, creating a revealing aspect to the functionality of the piece. The legs feature soft, opposing curves designed to complement the curves of the carcass. A linear through-cavity in the legs was incorporated to lighten the form and create spaces that catch light and cast shadows. The legs are constructed of solid wood pieces using a coopering and hand shaping technique. The staggering of tambour pieces between curves and flats adds subtle surface texture to catch and reflect light. Tambour construction led to experimental approaches to gluing the screen which included a multilevel purpose made support bed. A removable wooden piece was created on the back track for removal of the tambour for future maintenance and repairability. The use of local silver ash was intentional to showcase the beauty of using local wood in production. The hope is that the piece invites touch and gradually reveals its subtleties over time—a true celebration of light and shadow.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.