Simon Anton and Bilge Nur Saltik
Inside/Outside

September 14 - September 28, 2024

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 5-7 pm

In conjunction with the Detroit Month of Design

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Matéria Gallery is pleased to present Inside/Outside, a special exhibition of new works by Detroit-based designers Simon Anton and Bilge Nur Saltik, in conjunction with the Detroit Month of Design.

 

Inside/Outside explores design ideas that exist in both inside and outside manifestations, and blur the lines between art - design - architecture.  The project takes place in Matéria Gallery’s EDITION space in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood. Each artist/design studio will present a new collection of works as part of the exhibition.

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Simon Anton’s works are made using an experimental process of grafting waste plastic onto sculpted metal armatures by wrapping them in heating wire and submerging them in vats of locally sourced plastic waste. Over time the plastic grows onto the armatures, creating colorful 3D wall works - part painting, part sculpture, part architectural study. All works are in the vein of plastic material research which Anton has been engaging with since 2012. Anton’s works for the exhibition include a new collection of small studies and a larger wall sculpture that juxtapose plastic waste with the language of architectural ornamentation.​​

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Bilge Nur Saltik’s studio practice spans across multiple design disciplines and mediums, reimagining timeless materials such as glass, ceramic, stone, wood, and fabric, and incorporating new technologies, to bring new objects to life.​ For Inside/Outside, Nur will be presenting The Essence Collection, an exploration of organic forms through the lens of parametric design. In this new body of work, the designer delves into the complexities of curvilinear surfaces, utilizing advanced parametric techniques to create intricate, fluid geometries. The material choice, 3D printed copper, is particularly compelling, as it embodies a deceptive quality that challenges the viewer's perception of form and substance. Over time, the copper interacts with natural elements, evolving and changing, adding an additional layer of meaning to the work. The result is dynamic pieces that bridge the gap between digital fabrication and the organic processes of nature, inviting contemplation on the relationship between man-made structures and the natural world.

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​Inside/Outside opens to the public on Saturday, September 14, with a reception with the designers from 5-7 pm. The event is part of Materia’s Fall Season Opening, along with the opening of Bianca Beck’s solo exhibition See Me Plural in the gallery, and music performance by Battle Elf (Chris Peters, Dave Hurley and Gretchen Gonzales) in the park.

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SIMON ANTON

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Simon Anton (Detroit, MI; he/him) is a multi-disciplinary artist, designer, and educator that collaborates across the fields of architecture, interior design, furniture, art, and jewelry. He is the co-founder of Thing Thing, a design collective that experiments in the transformation of post-consumer, hand-recycled polyethylene plastic sourced from surrounding communities and from industrial manufacturing. He facilitates “Transforming Trash,” where he works with youth in Detroit to transform community plastic waste into art. He is also the cofounder of Got Grief House where he promotes art as a means of grief counseling. His work has been presented at the Hong Kong Shenzhen Biennale, Expo Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and the Venice Architecture Biennale. Anton received a Master of Fine Arts in 3D Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

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BILGE NUR SALTIK

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Turkish-born Bilge Nur Saltik's practice, Form&Seek was established in 2013, shortly after she received her master’s degree in Product Design from the Royal College of Art in London.  Pairing the old with the new, Nur collaborates with traditional craftsmen–tapping into their age-old techniques and knowledge–while introducing them to new materials and fabrication processes, in an intersection that produces unexpected and never-seen-before works. At Form&Seek, each new project emerges from a powerful narrative and is fueled by an interest in human behavior and human interaction with objects. From integrating cutting-edge consumer electronics with familiar household objects, blurring boundaries, to bringing the age-old thrill of optical illusion into sophisticated design products, Nur seeks to engage and invigorate viewers and users. Bilge Nur Saltik currently serves as Director of Product Design Program at Lawrence Technological University (LTU), in Southfield, Michigan.