FIRE OPENS STONE is a bench by Samuel Ross from 2022, presented in his 2023 solo exhibition “COARSE” in New York. The piece combines Nero Africa granite with glass fiber reinforced concrete and fired OSB, a common industrial board. Ross coated the concrete in honey and milk before firing it, creating a patina that reflects his belief that “a material’s memory can be re-awoken through process.” Ancient stone and contemporary industrial materials sit side by side, showing how the piece was built rather than hiding it.

Nero Africa granite, glass fiber reinforced concrete, fired OSB, fired honey and milk patina, painted steel, polyurethane

H 46 × W 187 × D 50 cm
H 18.11 × W 73.62 × D 19.69 in

Edition of 8

Photography by Timothy Doyon