Oak Force
Solo Exhibition · Bally
Oak Force is a site-specific installation featuring three monumental wooden sculptures, created for the entrance hall of Bally’s headquarters in Milan. The work traces the journey of a fallen Swiss oak – once standing resilient in the forest, now reimagined through artistic transformation. Sculpted forms emerge from the raw beams, their surfaces intersected by flowing lines reminiscent of tailoring patterns. White-painted figures balance across the wood, embodying the tension between structure and fluidity. In contrast, the exposed grain, cracks, and textures of the oak reveal the passage of time, honoring both nature’s force and human craftsmanship.
Milan, Italy
Impressions
„A mighty oak in a Swiss forest does not survive the storm. It is taken to a sawmill, cut into three pieces and brought into shape. The blocks arrive in Zurich, where the artistic exploration of this slowly and powerfully grown trunk begins. Lines and curves are laid around the raw wooden beams, enclosing surfaces similar to cutting patterns intended for noble clothing. The figures spread out over the blocks and seek their balance – all in white, the colour of snow and paper, purity and simplicity. In between, complex spaces are created in which the raw wood shows with its grain, its cracks and its traces of the past.“ – Bally (Press Release)