Hedi Xandt's Dark Emotions
The God Of The Grove, 2013. gold-plated brass, polymer, distressed black finish, marble.
I admire the range of work by Hamburg-based communication designer and conceptual artist Hedi Xandt. His combination of design, concept, and execution is extremely impressive and gives his work a level of sophistication that I haven't come across in a while. Here I've showcased a few of his dark, slightly morbid pieces for you.
“I could stare into the face of a skull for hours, for example, and always see new things.”
“My Die-Cast Soul” is part one in a series of filigree skull-ptures that combine the aesthetics of naturally shaped bone with state-of-the-art and experimental production techniques.
Hedi explains his dark aesthetic in an interview with Trendland,
"Darkness is rich of emotions. I love the blur, the mist in our heads when we experience things we cannot explain. Have you ever held a skull in your hands? It’s magical. So light, but strong. Intricate and almost fragile in appearance, yet it serves us a lifetime as support, a case for our mind. I will never understand how someone can not find it beautiful. Things like that fascinate me, the layers of our existance, but also the almost godly alienation from nature that comes with knowledge and technology.
I think that you have to infuse something known, something from the “real world” with a new, abstract “spark” in order to create a work that people can – emotionally and intellectually – relate to."
To me, that "abstract spark" that Hedi talks about is precisely why I and so many others like yourselves love anatomical art. It's the human body, the common thread we all share enhanced by art that manipulates and abstracts it making anatomy even more fascinating.
Not willing to label himself as solely a graphic designer nor an artist he simply sees himself as a creative person experimenting and creating. Hedi's portfolio includes work for companies like Lancôme, Chanel, and Apple and ranges across a variety of media and subjects. I encourage you to view all of Hedi's incredible work at hedixandt.com!
