Miles Clifford, Bubala (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

David Cleveland

Country

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

'Bubala' is a sculptural side table made of cherry wood. By using the ancient technique of stack lamination, I was able to achieve my intended form both structurally and aesthetically. Despite its relatively small dimensions of 500x500x500mm, ‘Bubala’ commands attention and feels substantial. I believe this visual weight to not only be a result of the technique itself, where forms appear as solid masses, but from the size of feeling it emits. People have compared ‘Bubala’ to mushrooms, shells, foods, a tornado, a lily pad, and a painter’s palette to name a few. However, it was comparisons to the body that interested me most. People have often drawn comparisons between ‘Bubala’ and the female form, citing its calming rhythm, the softness of its curves and its voluptuousness. It appears to be overflowing, enticing the viewer and inviting touch. People have also commented on more masculine, sometimes even phallic characteristics. They see a nose; a neck and shoulders, a torso, a waist and hips, and a penis. It's not just one thing. It is in the tension between these where interest lies. ‘Bubala’ appears both anchored to the earth and ready to skip away at a moment's notice, it's both elegant and whimsical, male and female, fluid yet solid, sculpture and furniture. These seeming contradictions spark curiosity. The spiral design draws the viewer in, guiding them round the piece, encouraging them to engage with it from every angle. No two views are alike. The piece morphs and changes as you move around it, embodying the flexibility of the themes it seeks to explore. The purpose of ‘Bubala’ is primarily to exist as a functional work of art. It can be used as a table in conventional ways. The height of the table matches the height of the chair’s armrest it accompanies, allowing for a natural movement when reaching between two positions. Furthermore, despite being an organic shape, its extremities exist in a cube. As a result, its proportions are inherently pleasing and its scale suits its purpose. Being quite small, it can be easily moved around a room and can exist harmoniously in various spaces. ‘Bubala’ has a timeless quality which allows it to fit seamlessly in a range of environments from the very modern to the more traditional.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.