Structured Chaos

This piece is a dialogue between the chaos of the ocean and the structure of the Cape. It began on Strand Beach after a heavy winter storm, where the shoreline was thick with the remnants of the tide. I hand-selected each of these driftwood sticks, a task that required more hands than I had to gather all the inspiration the beach offered that day.

The foundation is a story of its own. The supporting frame and base are crafted from reclaimed eucalyptus timber, salvaged from an old Stellenbosch farmhouse fence that was destined for the compost heap. To honor the wood, the frame is bonded using traditional dowels and glue, entirely screw-free, leaving the honest joinery visible to the eye.

While the original design featured sticks on just one side, the way the light interacted with the timber changed everything. By fitting the driftwood to both sides, the light is now transformed from within, casting a beautiful, random play of shadows and textures across the room. It is a balance of opposites: the structured frame provides order, while the untamed flow of the sticks serves as a quiet reminder of nature's rhythm.