When artists speak about their work, many talk about going to some sort of personal alternate dimension when they tap into their creative flow. In Our Place: to the moon and back on a rocketship from Rome, father-daughter duo Tom and Ravenna Osgood take this literally, manifesting a domestic environment that encapsulates their shared creative reality as a means to connect beyond this world.
Populated by design objects, soft sculpture, and illustrations from Ravenna Osgood alongside excavated assemblage sculptures from the late Tom Osgood, the artworks in Our Place suspend viewers in a rich, specific emotional world that remains accessible through interactivity and novelty. At the beginning of the exhibition, a full-sized bed with hand-painted bedclothes beckons the viewer to flop down in the pasta pillows that decorate it. Ravenna’s duvet and pillowcases reference ancient domestic Roman ceramic patterns in deep blue hues while the opposing wall features floral linoleum that Tom unearthed from a lengthy construction project, engaging in chromatic conversation that speaks to forgotten treasures and the mundane.
The entirety of the works presented by Tom Osgood are those made of forgotten materials. Toward the end of his life, he embarked on an intensive solo renovation of an old property in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The building’s history as a hotel was apparent through the decorative flourishes the artist unearthed as he excavated rotting floorboards, leading to a fascination with these objects and a drive to give them a new life through sculpture. This method of working was a departure from Tom’s practice, being far less formal than his labor-intensive steel sculptures and oil painting. The connection between this body of work and his daughter Ravenna’s explorations in interior design is undeniable.
Tom Osgood passed away in January of 2023 as works for Our Place were still being finalized. As Ravenna continued to finish the oversize oyster pillow and shrimp chandelier that float so lightly over the gallery floor, she found solace in a continued connection with her father in the space of creation, just as steady as ever.
Our Place: to the moon and back on a rocketship from Rome is on view through June 17 at form & concept in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
To learn more, visit formandconcept.center.
