Rock Formation

Raw, jagged, tumbled, stacked—whether carved or cast, or not made of stone at all, rocks well, rocked ICFF 2023. From wood carved to resemble a sheer cliff to a bench made of volcanic boulders that appear to float weightlessly, rock formations were the foundation of unexpected pieces across the fair floor.

See a roundup of a few of our favorites below.

The Fortezza bench from Costantini is a one-of-a-kind functional art bench made from volcanic rock and iron by William Stuart. This is the first piece in a new collection that will feature the same materials, combining naturally-formed volcanic rocks from Argentina with iron frames.

Also from Simon Johns, the Future Fossils collection emulates the textures of sedimentary stone through slip-cast volumes of stoneware. Of varying shapes and sizes, they are organized around a polished aluminum framework that reflects light like sunshine on a still lake.

The unique plaster wallpapers Affreschi & Affreschi is known for made a splash at ICFF 2023, taking home an Editors’ Award in the wallcovering category. Two of the handmade plaster papers on display from their Carpe Diem collection capture the light and shadow that fall across the stone surface of a cave wall or the feature’s of Michelangelo’s David.

Opiary brought feelings of zen to the fair with their oasis of a booth, featuring their geometric Spolia wallscape complete with lush greenery and the sound of trickling water.

Cast concrete objects from Concrete Poetics are brutal, sculptural, and irregular, thanks to the imperfections that occur in the casting process. Their stacked-disc forms create an almost pixelated effect, bringing to mind the digital in an otherwise raw material.