BRINGING SURREALISM INTO THE PUBLIC REALM

"I wanted to create contemporary sculptures but in a style and materiality akin to the Victoriana of the neighbouring historic stone wall and cast iron railings of the harbour," Chinneck explains. "That period of design and manufacturing has associations with solidity and rigidity, and the flowing forms of the lampposts subvert that with apparent fluidity."

The trio of permanent street furniture designs were commisioned for Assembly, a workplace and waterfront park in Bristol.

First Kiss at Last Light is a pair of black-painted Victorian-style lampposts tied together in an oversized bow shape, and another pair intertwined in a knot. Both sculptures operate as functional lighting.

Chinneck's second design is Wring Ring, a sculpture of a traditional red British telephone box, inverted with a dramatically twisted body. The sculpture was cast in bronze before it was painted and glazed.

Playfully called Alphabetti Spaghetti, the designer's third sculpture is an inversion of a similarly recognisable red British postbox characterised by a knotted main body.

"I try to weave playful but high-quality moments of surrealism into the public realm," explained Chinneck. "I think there's something uplifting about defying reality and challenging convention within the built environment."

Location Bristol, England
Designer Alex Chinneck
Photography Charles Emerson