A heritage of crafts and exploration
Aleph Geddis has dug a distinct space in the world of contemporary sculpture, transparently merging traditional wood techniques with a modernist approach to train and balance. His wooden sculptures, marked by precision and a deep reverence for geometry, reflect a life commitment with crafts and artistic investigation. Raised on Orcas Island in the northwest of the Pacific, Geddis was immersed in the world of sculpture from an early age, learning the fundamentals of his stepfather, a sculptor and a manufacturer of wooden boats. This formative exhibition has opened the way to its artistic evolution, which has since been defined by a continuation of structural harmony and a continuous dialogue between abstraction and natural form.
While the artistic practice of Geddis is deeply rooted in his education, his work extends beyond personal heritage, inspired by a wide range of influences, in particular the sculpture of the middle of the century, West African art and the mathematical precision of platonic solids. His sculptures embody a tension between order and organic movement, revealing a meticulous understanding of the interaction of material and form. The interaction between structure and fluidity is a recurring theme in its work, each piece used as meditation on balance – both physical and conceptual.
Its process is a continuous exploration, which is based on the knowledge transmitted to it while pushing in a new territory. Each sculpture brings echoes of its early training in traditional sculpture, but its approach remains dynamic and constantly evolving. Whether it is to create large -scale commissions or smaller intimate works, GEDDIS remains attached to its profession, ensuring that each piece resonates with the integrity and the depth that have come to define its artistic voice.
Aleph Geddis: a tradition of redesigned sculpture
Since his first meetings with Wood Child – refreshing playful objects in the shed of sculpture of his stepfather – to his subsequent studies on geometric structures, the journey of Geddis in the sculpture was both organic and deliberate. His education in a Waldorf school presented him with sculpture with beeswax, an experience that has strengthened an appreciation of the permanence process. This first lesson in transactity continues to influence his approach, allowing him to embrace the evolutionary nature of his work rather than fixing himself on a predetermined result.
A pivotal moment arrived when he was 19 years old and participated in a sculpture class taught by his father. Discovering an innate talent for the trade, he went to an apprenticeship, helping to realistic representations of flora and fauna. This period perfected its technical capacities and instilled a disciplined approach to sculpture, but its artistic curiosity quickly led it beyond the work of representation. Pulled on the mathematical purity of platonic solids, he began to experiment with geometric forms, exploring the ways whose rigid structures could be translated into wood while maintaining a feeling of fluidity and movement.
Over time, his work has become more and more abstract, but he remains anchored with a deep respect for structural foundations. His sculptures are characterized by a refined interaction between a clear precision and the inherent warmth of wood, a balance that talks about its double influences from traditional crafts and contemporary design. The act of sculpture itself – appearing a raw material with a targeted intention – remains at the heart of its practice, offering both a meditative process and a means of articulating its evolving artistic language.
The influence of native art of the northwest coast
Having grown up in the northwest of the Pacific, Geddis has developed a deep appreciation for the rich artistic heritage of the region, in particular the traditions of sculpture of native cultures of the northwest coast. Stylized naturalism, symbolic narration and distinctive use of compound curves have left an indelible mark on its artistic sensitivities. At the start of his career, he studied these sculpture techniques in depth, immersing himself in the structural logic and the movement that define traditional indigenous sculptures.
The influence of this artistic line is obvious in his own work, not only in the technical aspects of sculpture, but also in the way in which his pieces transmit a feeling of dynamic energy. This connection has become particularly obvious in his commission for the flagship store of Sonon in Seattle, where he created an 18.5-foot sculptural piece which paid tribute to the aesthetics of the northwest coast while integrating his own geometric and abstract style. The project allowed him to fill the past and the present, by drawing historical traditions while continuing to refine his distinct artistic voice.
Beyond the technique, which resonates the most with the Geddis on the art of the northwest coast is its ability to capture movement in form. The interaction of convex and concave surfaces, the rhythm of repetitive models – these elements parallel to its own explorations in the way in which geometric and organic forms coexist. Its sculptures, although they are not directly imitative, reflect a similar prosecution of harmony between precision and expression, a quality which continues to define its set of work in evolution.
Aleph Geddis: the pursuit of artistic integrity
While Geddis has established himself as a sought -after sculptor, his career was not without challenges. One of the most persistent struggles was to sail in the delicate balance between creative freedom and financial sustainability. At the start of his career, working on commissions with his father sometimes let him feel like a substitution artist, performing someone else's vision rather than his own. This experience has instilled in him a commitment to accept only projects that align with his artistic identity – parts he would create whatever external demand.
His influences extend beyond artistic traditions to the very philosophy of manufacturing. The discipline and the precision he observed in artists such as Constantin Brancusi and Duane Pasco informed his own approach, strengthening the importance of meticulous crafts and intentionality. Brancusi's ability to distill forms to their essence and the disciplined sculpture process of Pasco serves both guiding principles in the work of Geddis. Likewise, his fascination for West African textiles and Dogon masks testifies to his appreciation for the distilled power – objects that communicate depth by simplicity.
At the heart of the practice of Geddis is an unshakable dedication to the act of creation itself. At the time of digital distractions and rapid consumption, he finds comfort in the physicity of his work – the rhythm of sculpture, tactile commitment with wood, meditative repetition of the shaping of equipment. For him, the real reward of his practice lies in the process, a constant exploration of the form, movement and meaning which continues to shape both his art and his understanding of the world around him.
