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MAP 5
Artist Bio
After 22 winters on the east coast, Rafi made his escape. Following a love of all that is wild, he settled into Northern California, where he has made his home and practice. Learning first to sew from his artist mother, he has been making things and taking them apart as long as he can remember.
Rafi works in wood, glass, and metal. He lives and works in Berkeley, California with his wife, two sons, and two dogs. Rafi’s practice begins by asking questions, with a curiosity into raw materials and their object potential. Rafi looks for situations that lead to discoveries that lead to process, always seeking the balance of edge and grace.
Artwork Description
Part of the Saguaro Glass series of works, each of these unique pieces is hand-made through a studio-specific process that uses loose wooden slat molds and sculpting to create each form. Rafi carves and manipulates the wood molds to achieve different forms and textures. Driven by woodworking techniques, the molds are milled, carved, and textured, and set on loose webbing that allows for chaos and difference. Though each piece is unique, each mold can be re-used, changing each time. The molds burn and gain texture; they decay and change. This allows for chance, gesture, and experimentation. This series of 30 has been commissioned by Caymus-Suisun.
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Indoor
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