An otherworldly finish on South African stone
- Jesse's sculptural furniture is inspired by interplanetary elements
- He is self-taught and specialises in the open casting and stone dressing techniques
- He sources his materials locally, in South Africa
Growing up with an artisan father, Jesse Ede has always understood the possibilities offered by craftsmanship. After spending eight years building boats around the world, he returned to South Africa to establish a custom furniture making studio. Today, working with the ancient stone dressing technique, Jesse creates sculptural works using aluminium, bronze and stone sourced in South Africa. His pieces highlight and connect both natural and manmade beauty. “I want my work to feel timeless, like it could be from 1,000 years ago or 1,000 years in the future,” he says. “It is not based on trends.” In 2016, Jesse's Lunar table was selected by the Southern Guild for a group show, and another of his pieces was auctioned at Christie's.
INTERVIEW
I specialise in open casting. I pour metal into an open mould and allow it to cool. All the visible texture is uncontrolled and wild. It is a combination of the dross and the way the material cools and hardens at different rates. This creates a lunar, otherworldly finish.
I never want to be wasteful. When putting work out into the world, I need to feel that I am not taking too much from it, but rather adding something of value.
Stone was one of the first materials humans mastered, using only hammers and chisels. I am drawn to the archetypal, primal aspect of it. I continue to use the ancient method of stone dressing, working entirely by hand.
To minimise carbon footprint, I source everything locally in South Africa. Stone has the potential to be completely carbon neutral, as it comes from the earth and is worked in its natural state.
