Last year the multidisciplinary artist Harry Nuriev, embarked upon a mission to open our eyes to the daily and domestic spaces that surround us. Racing past The Garage’s – a project and installation piece from his creative practice Crosby Studios – chequered finish line and taking a platinum trip up The Elevator, we arrive at your cell from 2020 to eternity. That’s right, The Bedroom. Despite the doom and gloom of the decade so far, and so incredibly solitary, The Balenciaga Sofa designer lets in the light. Nuriev finds solace and showcases resurrection in the bedroom by pulling back the covers on the perks of having a safe space to create, dream and escape.
To start, and for readers who have just come across your work, who is Harry Nuriev?
I am an artist, designer, architect, and the founder of Crosby Studios Design Firm.
What message do you hope to put across with this new series of spaces?
I want to create conversations and highlight rooms that are typically overlooked by people as transitional or intimate spaces.
These interiors have been defined, and varied, throughout time by the people that live in them. This current work of yours has had me reflect on the fact that the bedroom might reasonably be considered one of the purest, most intuitive, communal works of art in human history. Do you hold any stock in this notion?
With all my work I want people to feel emotions. I love to create spaces that allow people to be who they truly are. It was fun to watch how adults suddenly became calm and happy when entering this bedroom.
Perhaps the primary function of the bedroom is as a place for sleep. Do the silver materials signify a mechanical vehicle for movement through the dreamscape?
The material and colour palette signifies a sunset and sunrise. Warm colours change to cool and crisp. I like to use different materials that don’t often live within the typical spaces people are accustomed to.
Head on, the portal-like moon door projects its hollow exterior onto the reflective surface of the wall within. From outside, the impression is of a great eye gazing back at you. Do you view the bedroom as a place for solitary self-reflection?
Yes, it is the place where you end and start every day. A place where you can be your true self, dream, and even escape reality. The bedroom is a space that allows someone to be their purest form, through thoughts or self-expression.
There is a great intimacy to the bedroom. It’s ground zero for even individual meditation, a respite from society. Do the other installations in this series, The Garage and The Elevator, also represent places of intimacy?
In a lot of ways, transitional spaces, like elevators or even garages, are very intimate. Many people don’t look at these ‘rooms’ as an actual room, rather a transitional or even a storage space. Some of the most important conversations, interactions, and creations all happen within these three spaces. Think about how many ideas or sudden thoughts come to you while riding the elevator, in a garage or in your bedroom.
What message do you hope to put across with this series of spaces?
I want people to start to look at these spaces as truly important places, not just as places to sleep, park your car, or get from point A to B.
Did you find your own domestic spaces emboldening for creativity and growth during lockdown; were you in one of these spaces when you lighted upon the idea for this series of works?
The lockdown was the first time in years where I could sit down and be in the same space for longer than 2 weeks. I created Crosby Studios Home during lockdown, which led me to think about the importance spaces have.
Has your process of production here evolved from previous works or has it changed in any way? Was this the first time you worked with Velum Design for lighting?
I have always used lightboxes throughout my work. For me, as an interior architect, lighting is very important. I have worked with Velum in the past and we are currently working together on a lighting collaboration that I can’t wait to release.
I am also continuing to explore a new chapter, within my artistic practice, of these small rooms and spaces where people can go to dream, think, escape or have fun.
I am also continuing to explore a new chapter, within my artistic practice, of these small rooms and spaces where people can go to dream, think, escape or have fun.
You’ve spoken in the past about ‘design language;’ do you think design can be read as a form of poetry? If so, which of your projects holds most meaning to you?
Yes, poetry for me bridges concepts to people. This is what I do with my design language. All my projects hold meanings to me. What is most important is the value that comes after the project, in the sense of how it touches people. I want everyone, like I said before, to feel different in my spaces or around my objects.
