Apparatus has released Act V: Afsaneh, its first new collection in five years, covering both furniture and lighting. Artistic director Gabriel Hendifar describes it as a meditation on creativity, knowledge and the cycles of life.
The seed is the building block of the collection. It appears in sconces, in vessels and in an incense burner, as a form that both protects what is inside and draws people towards it.
Founded in New York in 2012 by Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson, Apparatus is known for combining hand-patinated brass with marble, porcelain, horsehair and suede. Its pieces are finished and assembled by hand in its own Brooklyn factory.
Act V is organised in four series. Esfand is the seed. Gol wraps cast-glass seeds in large fibreglass shades that recall flower petals, jellyfish or octopuses. Rahvi is a set of amulets in seven semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli and tiger's eye. Jahaan centres on the table as a place to gather. A fragrance of damask rose and oud and five short films made with the Martha Graham Dance Company complete the act.