Australian designer Olivia Bossy spent her life between Australia and Europe before settling in Sydney. Working across furniture and interiors, her work is characterised by a well-defined simplicity enriched by a strong material palette and sculptural silhouettes that often nod to brutalism.
Olivia Bossy: design as the narrative of a moment in time
0422 Daybed, in Ebonised Tasmanian Blackwood, stainless steel and cotton, from the ‘Objects 2022’ collection
‘I am inspired by a little bit of everything I see out there, I’m an image hoarder,’ she says. ‘It could be a hook holding something a particular way, a park bench, a book or just an idea.’ For instance, she describes her ‘Table for Some Things (but not others)’ as ‘a visual representation of someone having too many things/thoughts.’
Among her works, the ‘Objects 2022’ collection stands out: with a background in graphic design and no furniture training, she wanted ‘to see if I could produce a fully resolved body of work without client restrictions, and present it in a very stylised way as a kind of experiment.’ The collection features a daybed, floor lamp, sconces and side tables ‘born of fire, Euclidean geometry and the display mechanism of museum artefacts.’
Lamp no. 0122 in charred timber, stainless steel and linen, from the ‘Objects 2022’ collection
They feature curved stainless steel sheets, Ebonised Tasmanian Blackwood, Charred Tallow and Cambia Ash with neutral linens and cottons, a colour and material palette that is both essential and elevated. ‘I have these very clear characters which form around each piece and they carry the narrative of that moment in time,’ she explains. ‘I’m not into prescribing to others what a piece should mean though - if they want to have it as a sculptural piece in the middle of a room fine, but if it has more meaning to them as a snack bar, then also fine.’
Her advice to the next generation of creatives? ‘Unless you are uplifting a community through design, what we do isn’t that important.’
022 Wall Lamp, from the ‘Objects 2022’ collection
Like Butter table, made of folded brushed stainless steel and glass
0322 Side Table, in Ebonised Red Gum and stainless steel, from the ‘Objects 2022’ collection
-
A new limited-edition Rhodes piano and Gibson doubleneck guitar aim for the starsThe new Rhodes Mk8 Earth Edition piano and Gibson Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Doubleneck guitar revisit classic instruments at a price
-
The new interior design trends we spotted at Salone del Mobile 2024These are the interior design trends to look out for in 2024 and beyond, from soft upholstery to conversation pits and low dining
-
Tiffany & Co nods to its theatrical history with a surreal new campaignTiffany & Co campaign ‘With Love, Since 1837’ sees Dan Tobin Smith and set designer Rachel Thomas create an offbeat set
-
Panorammma's design work is a combination of fictional worldsWallpaper* Future Icons: Mexico City-based design studio Panorammma is the practice of 29-year old Maika Palazuelos
-
Rio Kobayashi turns traditional furniture making on its headWallpaper* Future Icons: how Austrian-Japanese designer Rio Kobayashi reinvents traditional furniture through diverse influences and collaborations
-
Rino Claessens’ modular furniture experiments with ceramic designWallpaper* Future Icons: Rino Claessens turns his love for ceramics into experimental large-scale modules and compositions
-
Inside Seongil Choi's experiments with materials and formWallpaper* Future Icons: Seoul-based Seongil Choi works across a variety of materials, with experimental approaches at the heart of his work
-
Parti Studio swing between architecture and design through research and experimentationWallpaper* Future Icons: London-based architecture practice Parti made its lighting design debut this year
-
Giles Nartey translates African rituals into bold design objectsFuture Icons: Giles Nartey's boundary-pushing work combines teaching, research and design
-
Matan Fadida's work merges comfort and formal experimentationWallpaper* Future Icons: based in London, Matan Fadida's work can be described as industrial minimalism achieved with honest materials, and includes objects, furniture and wearables
-
Christian+Jade's work starts from material investigationWallpaper* Future Icons: based in Copenhagen, Jade Chan and Christian Hammer Juhl work with a variety of materials, changing their perception through new concepts and contexts
