Description
The work
ASTRONAUTS is a creative studio specialising in limited-edition objects, founded by Danae Dasyra and Joe Bradford. For ASTRONAUTS, making is central—materials and processes dictate the outcome, with design emerging as a response. The artists subvert conventional industrial manufacturing techniques by self-fabricating all their work in-house, at their Athens-based workshop. This proximity to the object’s evolution enables a sculptural approach, culminating in their distinctive aesthetic.
Reflecting on the experience of encounter, the duo seeks to provoke moments of surprise—inviting viewers to discover unexpected beauty in the atypical, and to imagine narratives around the origins and function of each piece. Ultimately, their practice challenges dominant perceptions of aesthetics and objecthood in pursuit of creative freedom.
Danae Dasyra and Joe Bradford explore the relationship between pressure and metal, with each piece becoming a study of what occurs when various containers are subjected to extreme force. Hydroforming, an industrial process using hydraulic fluid to shape ductile metals, lies at the core of their experimentation.
Focusing specifically on the shell hydro-bulging technique, they inflate sealed, TIG-welded vessels using a high-pressure water pump. The duo investigates the transformation in geometry before and after inflation to develop multipart compositions that embody both tension and release.
Gemini is a sculptural double-seater bench that explores the theme of duality within unity. The design embodies this tension through the interplay of solid structure and visual fluidity, offering both function and formal complexity. Its iridescent, liquid-like surface reflects and refracts light—shifting in hue and intensity depending on the environment—thus amplifying its presence as a living object within space.
This piece belongs to a body of work that reinterprets seating through a material-driven lens, positioning it as both furniture and form. The soft tactility of the flokati contrasts with the high-gloss metalwork, creating a dialogue between the industrial and the organic.
Dimensions: L170 × W83 × H100
Materials: Powder-coated steel, heat-treated mirrored stainless steel, resin, hand-dyed Greek flokati wool, leather
ABOUT THE ARTIST
ASTRONAUTS is an Athens-based creative studio founded by Danae Dasyra and Joe Bradford, whose practice is rooted in the development of limited-edition sculptural objects that straddle the boundary between art and design. Since its inception, the studio has carved a distinctive path within the contemporary design scene through a series of rigorously conceived works and international recognitions.
MORE WORKS BY THE ARTIST
