loose ends

Marley Dawson’s latest exhibition, loose ends, presents a continued investigation into the blurred lines between life and art. Pushing sculpture beyond its utilitarian origins, Dawson explores materiality, form, and scale through innovative experimentation. His materials—steel beams, glass, and aluminium—serve as canvases, allowing him to challenge the boundaries of what a material can be and how we experience it in space.

In loose ends, Dawson transforms sixteen aluminium replicas of the Emeco ‘1006’ chair into a monumental circular structure, titled 1006 Portal (2024). Garnet blasted, its surface captures and refracts light, standing as both a literal and metaphorical portal, reshaping our understanding of the chair’s utilitarian design. Similarly, a steel I-beam standing in the gallery becomes an unconventional self-portrait, crafted to Dawson’s exact height and weight. With glass and brass eyes positioned at his eye level, this steel beam takes on a wry, uncanny presence—a human likeness cast in metal, reduced to specific set of dimensions and numbers.

Meanwhile, two glowing beacon-like chandeliers hang outside the gallery’s windows, inspired by the drones that frequently circle Dawson’s studio. Here, Dawson reduces the typically ornate chandelier to a minimalist design of aluminium and steel. In doing so, Dawson brings materiality and form to the fore, revealing the hidden narratives within industrial materials and celebrating the inherent connection between art, everyday life and the spaces we inhabit.